Health minister to meet with MPs disputing new hospital fee / Austerity and the Greek healthcare system

Series Title
Series Details 06.01.14
Publication Date 06/01/2014
Content Type

The Greek minister for health, Adonis Georgiadis, has come under fire for introducing a new hospital fee from the beginning of 2014. However, in a surprise U-turn, the Greek government decided to scrap that controversial fee and pass it on instead to tobacco product prices.

Greece's healthcare system has been under enormous pressure ever since the global financial crisis began in 2007. According to a report published on the 21 February 2014 by the the medical journal Lancet, a huge rise in suicides, HIV infections and infant mortality rates were just a few of the consequences on public health of Athens' spending cuts.

On the 3 March 2014, the Greek health minister, Adonis Georgiadis, was criticised in the Parliament after defending the introduction of a new €5 hospital fee for admission to polyclinics. Mr. Georgiadis went on to defend austerity-driven health policy while speaking in Brussels later in the month.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_06/01/2014_534739
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Doctors say thousands of Greek children unvaccinated http://www.europeansources.info/record/doctors-say-thousands-of-greek-children-unvaccinated/
EurActiv, 09.01.14: Greece passes new hospital fee bill to cigarette smokers http://www.euractiv.com/health/greece-lets-tobacco-industry-pay-news-532639
EurActiv, 08.01.14: Greece's government in new hospital fee dispute http://www.euractiv.com/health/greek-mps-dispute-new-hospital-f-news-532620
Ekathimerini, 07.01.14: Hospital fee to be passed on to smokers http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_07/01/2014_534892
EUObserver, 21.02.14: Greece and creditors guilty of 'denialism' over public health crisis http://euobserver.com/news/123236
EurActiv, 03.03.14: Greece 'in denial' over healthcare problems http://www.euractiv.com/health/greece-denial-healthcare-problem-news-533851
EurActiv, 06.03.14: Greek Health Ministry defends new hospital fee http://www.euractiv.com/health/greek-health-ministry-introduces-news-533933
Ekathimerini, 03.03.14: Health minister, PASOK clash over 5-euro hospital fee http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_03/03/2014_537841
EurActiv, 07.03.14: Health cuts see new-born deaths jump 43% in Greece http://www.euractiv.com/health/troikas-pressure-greeces-healthc-news-533948
EurActiv, 19.03.14: Greek minister defends health austerity cuts http://www.euractiv.com/health/greek-minister-defends-health-au-news-534246
EurActiv, 26.03.14: Greece has the highest rate of flu deaths in Europe http://www.euractiv.com/sections/health-consumers/greece-has-highest-rate-flu-deaths-europe-301152
EurActiv, 17.04.14: Uninsured patients left untreated in Greece http://www.euractiv.com/sections/health-consumers/uninsured-patients-left-untreated-greece-301624

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