Meeting of Z. Rapti – A. Burla in New York

The Deputy Minister of Health Zoe Rapti visited New York, with the main goal of informing about the good practices, innovations as well as the ways of dealing with the Problems of Mental Health and Addictions, which have been exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the visit, the Undersecretary visited the headquarters of the Child Mind Institute in New York, with which the Ministry of Health is collaborating in order to use the donation of the “Stavros Niarchos” Foundation, amounting to 15 million euros, for the implementation of a five-year scientific program for promotion of the mental health of children and adolescents, in collaboration with university child psychiatric clinics of our country and NSS hospitals. The Undersecretary discussed with the President of the CMI, Harold Koplewicz with his associates and the General Director of Programs & Strategy of the “Stavros Niarchos” Foundation, Stelios Vasilakis about the course of implementation of the program, the basic tools and the methodology of their implementation. the premises of the Institute.

During her visit, the Undersecretary attended the event organized by the expatriate charity organization “Hellenic Initiative”, which for seven years has been raising money for important charitable activities that support our country.

During her visit, the Undersecretary of Health had the honor to meet with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidoforos at the Archdiocese, where they discussed the Church’s contribution to the Hellenism of the Diaspora, its support for its vaccination campaign and in the field of Mental Health.

The Undersecretary then visited Mount Sinai Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the United States, where she met with its President, Professor Dr. David Reich, the distinguished Greek professor of invasive cardiology and former president of the Hellenic Medical Society of New York, Dr. George Dangas and psychiatry professor Dr. Deborah Marin from the Directorate of Psychiatry of the hospital and talked, among other things, about the management of the pandemic and the tools for dealing with the work stress (burnout) of the medical staff.

Finally, during her visit, the Undersecretary visited the Greek CEO of PFIZER Albert Bourla, the co-founder, president and chief scientist of the large American biotechnology company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, George Yancopoulos and the Vice President of Research of the same company, Christos Kyratos York, Greek John Catsimatidis, as well as other factors of the Greek Diaspora, who offer the greatest in dealing with the pandemic, but also brighten, with their personal example, Hellenism in American society.