Al. Tsipras from Hippocrates: Third world situation in hospitals two years after the outbreak of the pandemic

After a surprise visit made by the President of SYRIZA PS to the Hippocratic Hospital of Thessaloniki, he stated:

“Unfortunately after two years and while the feeling was created that we are coming out of the darkest days, we are now in the darkest days of the pandemic. And unfortunately we are in these darkest days with the government resigning.

Mr. Mitsotakis has declared the end of the pandemic two or three times since last February and we are now unfortunately not in the last mile but in a Golgotha ​​that seems to be endless.
Today I visited the Hippocratic Hospital in Thessaloniki to see for myself the situation experienced by nurses, doctors and health personnel. Thessaloniki, which like all of northern Greece, is once again the epicenter of the pandemic, but unfortunately much earlier than last year.

In terms of time, this year at the beginning of November we are almost twice as much as we had last year. The cases are rising and we have a very difficult winter period ahead of us.

I wonder when the government will take political responsibility to make difficult decisions and, above all, to stop a dangerous perception that is spreading in Greek society, that what we are living in is the pandemic of the unvaccinated.

This, in addition to being racist towards the 40% of our fellow citizens, who of course have a responsibility that they have not been vaccinated but also a government that has not convinced them, is also dangerous because it creates a sense of relaxation in the remaining 60% who have been vaccinated. .

I asked and got the information for a 20% in the Covid clinics that are vaccinated and for a percentage and the ICUs that are also vaccinated and sick. This is because the “D” mutation has somewhat reduced its effectiveness and because we already know that antibodies last for about six months. Which means we all have to be more careful, put on our masks, not act like the pandemic is over with what we were vaccinated with, even though the government in its superficiality told us it was an “Freedom” operation, you were vaccinated and you’re done. And above all, let us all hurry for the third dose, to reduce this great burden that the Health system has today and, above all, to reduce deaths.

Second and crucial, is that I visited a hospital that has 4 of our fellow citizens intubated outside the Intensive Care Units. I am visiting a city where 18 ICU beds have been donated by the Commission 2021 and these beds can not work because there is no staff.

I wonder, two years have passed. Couldn’t the government realize the need to recruit doctors of specific specialties and health personnel? Is it possible to hear statements like those of the Deputy Minister, who is not a politician and tells some truths, that there are no doctors to staff the ICUs and their beds, two years later? And to say that we will soon get to the point where doctors will choose which people to save and put in the ICU and which to leave out?

These statements, which reflect the reality because they are honest, are at the same time an acknowledgment of the absolute failure of the government to manage the pandemic.

Every week we lose a small village. October left with 1,200 of our fellow citizens lost in the pandemic. So the crucial thing for me is that the government has to admit that things are very difficult. The Prime Minister should not be a denier of reality, to admit the difficulty, to make critical and difficult decisions. If he can not make difficult decisions, if he can not persuade citizens to get vaccinated, if he can not manage the pandemic in terms of protection against public health and citizens, then it is better to leave to save as many of our fellow citizens as we can to save. “This third world situation that prevails in our hospitals two years later and with staff who have suffered enormous fatigue and unfortunately are not even applauded but sometimes even beaten when they protest, can no longer continue.”