An urgent document signed by the director of Evangelismos Hospital, Anastasios Grigoropoulos, has stirred controversy. The document states that the hospital will be on 24-hour standby from 28th to 30th May 2024, to prioritise VIPs attending the Conference Cup final at the OPAP Arena on 29th May 2024. These VIPs, including accredited individuals and fans staying at the "Great Britain", "Grand Hyatt", and "Marriott Athens" hotels, will receive absolute priority in medical examinations and necessary treatments.

The Federation of Greek Hospital Doctors’ Associations (OENGE) brought this revelation to light by publishing the document.

“Whether you are working, unemployed, retired, or a regular person, if you fall ill, you are left to wait for hours to be examined in an overcrowded ICU with staff stretched to their limits. But if you are a VIP, wealthy, or a spectator of the football final staying in luxurious hotels, you will receive priority treatment at Evangelismos. This special treatment is granted irrespective of the severity of your condition, with the exhausted staff on three-day readiness despite needing rest or having just completed back-to-back shifts,” OENGE stated.

OENGE criticised the government’s approach, highlighting the disparity in treatment between ordinary citizens and the wealthy elite. “For ordinary people, it’s crowded ICUs and endless waiting. For the wealthy, public hospitals operate like private clinics, with priority service and separate registration. This reflects the government’s and Ministry of Health’s skewed priorities. The promise of free public health for all is just for show. Shame!” OENGE concluded.

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