Staff at Ierapetra General Hospital have issued a blistering statement, saying they've reached their limit with the continued decline of the hospital and the worsening conditions they face. In a message filled with frustration and urgency, the Workers’ Association says: "We’re done waiting, done being patient, and done putting up with it. Enough is enough."

Their statement highlights two key issues: Ierapetra’s exclusion from the Northern Road Axis of Crete (VOAK) – something they say is now standard treatment for Eastern Crete – and the appalling condition of the hospital itself, which they describe as worse than it’s ever been.

According to the workers, the political leadership is following a clear, deliberate strategy to gradually dismantle and eventually shut down the hospital.

They point to constant staff departures – mainly due to retirements among an ageing workforce – and the drain of doctors to other facilities offering better working conditions. As a result, the hospital is now running with dangerously low staffing levels – far below what’s considered safe.

Doctors are stretched to the brink with endless on-call shifts. Nurses are worn out from back-to-back rotations. Administrative staff are struggling to keep even the most basic operations going, causing serious disruptions to how the hospital functions. Meanwhile, holiday leave and rest days have piled up, often for years.

Despite this, staff are expected to handle nearly 100 emergency cases every day at the local health centre and carry out over 1,600 surgeries each year – all with just one anaesthetist, one radiologist, one internist, two cardiologists, and four general practitioners. Other departments are similarly understaffed, making the situation even more critical.

A statement of desperation

“We’ve run out of patience. In this town, the fight for basic rights – rights that should be guaranteed in any modern country – never ends. For months, we’ve felt nothing but neglect and dismissal.

We tried to be reasonable. We acted in good faith, hoping for cooperation. But now it’s clear: Ierapetra is treated like an afterthought – even a burden, if we’re honest. We’re constantly being left out and pushed aside.”

“This isn’t just another press release. It’s a cry for help – from every single person working in this hospital. We don’t know what’s coming next. But our fight goes on.”

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