By
Nicky Mariam Onti
The
popular tourist island of Kea, also known as Tzia and only an hour from the
coast, has become the seventh Greek island to be without pediatricians, joining
Kythira, Paros, Sifnos, Kythnos, Patmos and Serifos, according to the
Athens Medical Association (ISA).
In addition to the 800 children of the island and several newborns that
lack a required specialized treatment, the needs of the 3,000 residents of Kea
are expected to be covered by only one general practitioner, and, as noted, the
island’s population is being increased by about 1,000 visitors over the
weekends.
As the residents of Kea complained to ISA , at the moment there is only one
GP serving in the Multipurpose Community Clinic of Kea, given that both rural
doctors recently resigned their posts along with the island’s only pediatrician
and the only nurse in existence is absent due to maternity leave.
“We demand an immediate solution,” said ISA President Giorgos Patoulis,
while adding that if the island is not staffed with doctors, the association
will support the health of the island’s citizens with volunteer physicians.
“We will not allow some people’s neglect to cost other people’s lives,”
stated Patoulis while highlighting that, “It is an urgent need for the
existence of a national planning over Health reconstruction for the border
islands that will aim at an equal accessibility to such a basic good, that one of
health.”
greece.greekreporter.com
