Accusations of insensitivity
Panagiotopoulos condemned Georgiadis for publicly questioning an online complaint made by a citizen from Patras who lost his mother to a stroke at Rio Hospital after waiting three days for a bed. The citizen, well-known in the local community, praised the medical and nursing staff for their efforts but highlighted the dire systemic failures that contributed to the tragedy.
Rather than addressing the complaint with compassion, Georgiadis’s response, according to Panagiotopoulos, was “unprecedented and offensive.” The citizen subsequently became the target of what Panagiotopoulos described as a “vulgar and coordinated attack by pro-government trolls,” allegedly mobilised after the minister’s remarks.
Call for accountability
“If Kyriakos Mitsotakis had even a shred of empathy, he would have already dismissed Mr. Georgiadis from his position as Minister of Health,” Panagiotopoulos stated.
However, he added, the government is unlikely to act because Georgiadis’s approach aligns with its broader policies of neglecting the National Health System (ESY), undermining public hospitals, and prioritising private interests in healthcare.
A harsh reality
Panagiotopoulos concluded by criticising the government’s propaganda machine, which he claimed stoops to “vulgar practices” to deflect attention from its failings. “This is the harsh reality the Greek people are enduring,” he said.
SYRIZA-PS, he assured, will continue to fight alongside the public to transform this reality. “We will defend every citizen’s right to equal, free, and dignified access to the National Health System,” he pledged.
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