ATHENS — The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) on Friday announced that arrangement for the 174 new ICU beds that it is donating to Greek public hospitals are underway and that the beds will gradually be delivered between the end of December and February 2021.

The donation was announced at the end of May and seeks to increase ICU beds in 15 Greek hospitals in Attica, Thessaloniki, Lamia and Crete at a total cost of 16.4 million euros, while it also includes a five-year comprehensive education programme for ICU doctors and nurses. The new ICU beds are expected to treat over 6,500 patients a year.

A total of 53 ICU beds are scheduled to be delivered at KAT, Attikon and Tzanneio hospitals in Attica and Aghios Dimitrios and Gennimatas in Thessaloniki during Christmas holidays while another 28 will be delivered by mid-January to Ippokration hospital in Athens and the Childrens'hospital Aghia Sofia, the Benakio-Korgialenio in Athens, Vostanio Hospital on Lesvos, Venizelio Hospital in Heraklion, Crete and Aghios Georgios Hospital in Chania, Crete.

By the end of January, seven ICU beds will be delivered to Lamia hospital and the remaining 86 beds will be ready at the end of February 2021 and will be offered to Ippokratio Hospital of Thessaloniki, the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete and Evangelismos hospital in Athens.

In addition to grants in the health sector, SNF has made grants to organizations in Greece working to address the varied and profound needs the pandemic has engendered. SNF has worked in collaboration with the nonprofit Boroume to help address food insecurity for 10,000 people hit hard by the pandemic and in collaboration with KEDE to provide immediate food relief in every municipality across Greece through Social Food Outlets. With a grant through the National Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), SNF is supporting the continuity and development of a COVID-19 psychological support hotline (10306). As part of the relief initiative, SNF has also made grants to Doctors Without Borders for emergency assistance and health care for refugees facing critical conditions on the mainland and the islands of Lesvos and Samos; to the Greek Patients Association and Pnoi Agapis to assist people living with serious and chronic illnesses who are now facing additional risks posed by the pandemic; and to Initiative for the Child to support children who are facing difficult conditions at home.