Greek Doctors, Paramedics Protest Severe Health Cuts

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Holding black helium balloons and parading an effigy of a dying patient, striking public hospital and ambulance workers marched through Athens on Thursday to protest severe cuts in public funding for the national health service. Health care workers held a 24-hour strike, leaving hospitals running with emergency staff. Protesters marched past 10 state-run hospitals before reaching the health ministry. Per capita spending on health has been axed by a nearly a third since 2009 as the government made cuts required by its bailout programs, according to estimates by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. That has created longer waiting lists for treatment, staff shortages, and frequent medical equipment failure at Greek hospitals. The cuts were imposed despite Greece's fast-aging population and a steep increase in the number of long-term unemployed workers who have lost their state benefits. Health unions accuse Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' left-wing government of delaying plans to hire more hospital staff, which they argue would cover just 20 percent of jobs lost due to austerity measures. "With the policies he's practicing, Mr. Tsipras is throwing the citizens to the dogs. People are dying because of the breakup of the National Health System, and unfortunately the government is oblivious," said Michalis Giannakos, head of Greek public hospital workers' federation. "Hospitals are lacking doctors wi...
Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services News - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: News Administration and Leadership Source Type: news