Hospital Doctors and Health Workers Strike in Greece
Hospital doctors across Greece started a 48-hour strike on Thursday, demanding improved pay and staffing to address the challenges facing the public health system.
Strike Actions and Demonstrations
The Federation of Hospital Doctors’ Unions (OENGE) called the strike, which includes a rally outside the Health Ministry in Athens on Friday.
“The mobilization marks an escalation and a response to attempts to sugarcoat reality,” said OENGE President Yiannis Galanopoulos. “They portray us as a minority of ‘miserable’ people who complain for no reason. But it’s not our attitude that’s miserable – it’s the reality we experience every day in the hospitals.”
Participation and March Plans
Public hospital employees also joined the nationwide walkout on Thursday. They plan to march from Mavili Square to the prime minister’s office and Parliament to highlight ongoing issues.
“Patients suffer and their lives are at risk due to systemic inadequacies,” said POEDIN, the hospital workers’ federation. They added that “despite modern equipment, there are not enough hands to operate it.”
Additional Protests
Meanwhile, private medical laboratories will shut down nationwide on Friday in a separate protest against the clawback funding mechanism.
Summary
This strike underscores the urgent demand from healthcare professionals in Greece for better conditions and resources to ensure patient safety and effective healthcare delivery.
Would you like the summary to be more formal or conversational?