ATHENS – The Athens Medical Association condemned the serious state of dysfunction of the General Hospital of Lemnos due to its dramatic institutional decline which endangers the health of the inhabitants of the island.

The hospital is the pillar of the island’s public health system and is a key element of their sense of security as the mainland is four hours away by boat.

The President of the Medical Association of Lemnos, Thomas Loukas, informed the AMA that the operation of the hospital presents particularly serious problems, especially the problem of understaffing.

During the most recent period the hospital has had no cardiologist and the two attending physicians are on sick leave. There is an anesthesiologist who has been on duty for 65 consecutive days and a surgeon for 50 consecutive days. A cardiologist had been on duty for 30 days in a row.

No childbirth takes place at the hospital; the island’s women must travel to give birth.

Recently, orthopedic surgeries for patients who were already hospitalized were suddenly canceled.

Commenting on the matter, ASA Chairman Dr. George Patoulis stressed the following:

“The abandonment of the hospital of Lemnos proves the criminal behavior of the state towards the inhabitants of the border regions of the country. There have been long-standing demands to find ways to incentivize doctors in order to strengthen healthcare in peripheral areas in Greece, but nothing has happened. The Ministry of Health has great responsibilities for this unacceptable situation that has many adverse effects.”