ATHENS – Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias on Thursday announced a legislative initiative that will facilitate the immediate hiring of medical staff in the hospitals of the five islands that receive the highest number of refugees and migrants.

Speaking to Alpha TV, he said that the islands’ hospitals “must be supported because they were made to serve the islanders. So, the first priority is the residents. We must support the hospitals and we will do it with a legislation so that procedures are accelerated and of course we will also support the refugees reception and identification centres”.

The National Public Health Organisation achieved to vaccinate all children and teenagers in all hotspots, he said adding that “we are continously sending scientists, doctors and nursing staff to the hotspots in order to support the country’s effort, which is not easy at all.”