Deputy Health Min.: Speedier upgrading of health services due to Covid-19
File Photo: As Kontozamanis said “EU has already signed agreements with Pfizer and Biontech vaccine which has brought optimism to the world over its 90 pct effectiveness. @amna_news
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Supporting and upgrading the National Health System (NHS) to serve the public effectively and keeping it public are the basic goals of the Ministry of Health to beat the coronavirus pandemic and in the long term, Deputy Minister Vassilis Kontozamanis told Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).
When this government took over in July 2019, the NHS was found lacking in several aspects, including the intensive care units (ICUs), Kontozamanis said. But a timely and speeded-up action plan, propelled by the coronavirus pandemic’s needs, has managed to introduce changes like digitisation much faster.
“From the 557 operational ICU beds we had in July 2019, we now have 775. We are battling Covid-19 successfully and dealing with the very low ratio Greece has of ICU beds per citizen,” the minister said of comparisons with other EU countries, and noted the contributions of the private sector in large-scale gifts.
He asserted that the aim was to turn hires for emergency care into permanent staff positions, while doing the same for supplementary nursing staff. In addition, he said, doctors in the system who serve in auxiliary positions are being upgraded, with priority in critical health sectors.
Digitisation also took a leap, with “actions scheduled to happen within 2020 becoming implemented now,” Kontozamanis said, citing as example the medication prescription system. “These are actions that primarily benefit all people: They improve their contact with health servcies and they cost nothing.”
After asserting that the health sector will not come under private control, the minister said, “It is a fact that during a health crisis the major burden is shouldered by state health system. We must not however overlook the fact that a national health system involves both the state and private sectors. Everyone must take part in the battle.”
Source: ANA – MPA