ATHENS — "The next months will be crucial and we are very well aware that if we do not take care the health system will come under great pressure," stated Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday, at the inauguration ceremony for 50 additional ICU beds at Sotiria hospital in Athens.

The prime minister noted that there will be hiring "wherever and whenever necessary" and praised the work of the medical and nursing staff, particularly the staff in the ICUs which, as he said, "battle with death and save human lives every day". He also underlined that "it is a huge relief that next month we will have a significantly increased number of ICU beds, which will initially will be used in the struggle against coronavirus and, after the end of the pandemic, will be at the National Health System's disposal."

Mitsotakis highlighted the importance of the endeavour, which is a Greek parliament donation, and pledged that the number of ICU beds per population will reach the EU average by the end of 2020.

The first 12 of these ICU beds will start operating this week and another 12 will be added in two weeks, with all 50 going into service by the end of the year.

The necessary staff has been hired for operation of the units in the first two weeks, while more hirings are pending.