D. AVRAMOPOULOS: We received today at the Ministry of National Defence our friend and colleague Minister of Health Mr. Adonis Georgiadis, with whom we had an excellent, hearty and fruitful cooperation on matters relating to the health sector.
Health is a social benefit and, evidently, the current Government’s national priority under difficult fiscal circumstances, during which we are all called to perform our mission. And this refers to all of us.
Health sector and its servants need support from all of us. Therefore, with the Health Minister we discussed today common actions and synergies for the two Ministries.
More specifically:
The Ministry of National Defence, in cooperation with the National Health Operations Centre, in the context of constant care and provision for all inhabitants of islets in East Aegean Sea, has formed a small joint team of sanitary personnel, consisted of three to four specialised doctors, with the necessary medical equipment, that visits borderline islands with Hellenic Navy developed units.
Already in August 2013, visits have been scheduled to Agios Efstratios and Psara islands, and for the remaining months to Kassos, Karpathos, Lipsoi, Fournoi, Astipalea, Halki and Kastelorizo islands.
We also decided the signing of a Protocol on Cooperation between the two ministries, so as to ensure primary health care for borderline islets in East Aegean Sea, by periodically assigning doctors-soldiers at a weekly basis, as well as specialised Military Doctors, as the case may be, depending on the Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands formations’ capability.
Under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, the necessary pharmaceutical materiel, as well as examining rooms, will be allotted where health centres and community clinics exist.
Moreover, we decided the medical support of National Health System hospitals in Attica and Thessaloniki, during the period of mobility – suspension from duties, by reinforcing the hospitals’ ‘on-duty’ shifts. This last one is a very important measure.
I would like to thank once more Mr. Georgiadis for our cooperation. As I had the chance to point out during our meeting, I believe that this cooperation will yield fruits and, most importantly, upgrade health services offered to our country’s borderline regions, serving social work which, as I already underlined, is among our Government’s priorities.
A. GEORGIADIS: I would like to publicly thank mister Minister of National Defence for the great help the country’s Armed Forces offer for the health of Greek citizens, by performing aeromedical evacuations, as well as all kinds of support, whenever the need occurs. The Armed Forces decisively contribute to the success of our cause.
Today we came here basically for two issues. The first is the signing of a protocol on cooperation of the two Ministries, in order to coordinate in the best possible way our capabilities to provide the best possible health services to the inhabitants of borderline islands. I would like to thank mister Minister, for he has shown great sensitivity as far as this issue is concerned.
I believe that his past service at the Ministry of Health, I think he was the longest-lived Health Minister in the past years, played its role to him showing full understanding on this issue which is of great importance to us.
Moreover, the second issue, besides the protocol, was the Defence Ministry’s participation to the preparation of a 15-day plan, during which there will be mobility in Athens and Thessaloniki.
At the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the National Health Operations Centre, we are preparing a complete plan in order for the shifts ‘on-duty’ to work in the best possible way during these 15 days, so that the citizens will not have to worry for health services provided.
In this context, the Defence Ministry’s contribution is essential and we thank them for that.