Adonis Georgiades: The FFSU still wants hospital wrecks [vid,pics]

Adonis Georgiades appears reassuring and enlightening to citizens and patients, giving a devastating answer to today’s front page article in the Newspaper of Editors about the renovation works taking place in Agios Savvas and other hospitals in the country.

In his morning intervention, the Minister of Health deconstructs the – alleged – “revelations” of the newspaper in question.

Referring, in particular, to the “St. Sava”, which the publication talks about, the Minister of Health recalls that the project was awarded to a contractor in 2024, after a tender of 5.200.000 € for renovation and upgrading of the hospital’s operating rooms. That is, it is a total upgrade of its operating rooms that have not been renovated for decades.

Furthermore, this development is known to all staff and whatever has been decided will be in full safety for patients and with full respect for employees. The decision involves all hospital stakeholders towards the best solution, while Sismanoglio hospital, mentioned in the article, was simply considered as a possible solution. He continues by pinpointing that the hospital will not be closed and all patients will be served as normal. Adonis Georgiades adds meaningfully that there is no reconstruction with open surgeries and that “the work will start on 22/4 and all patients will be aware of the process beforehand“.

We are renovating 85 of the country’s 105 hospitals

In his intervention, Adonis Georgiades also recalls that 85 of the country’s 105 hospitals and 158 health centres are being renovated. It is the biggest renovation programme of public health structures since the day they were created. For example, renovation at Tzaneio Hospital has not been done since the 1960s!

It is, therefore, at least exaggerated to accuse the political leadership of the Ministry of Health of being indifferent to the essential upgrading of structures in primary health care. We are now talking about the largest upgrade programme in primary health care since the foundation of the Greek state in 1830. There has never been a programme like this before.

From wreck to palace

Adonis Georgiades also refers to the Aegina Health Centre and similar projects that were carried out there, noting that “the other day in Parliament I answered a question from a New Left MP, concerning the Aegina Health Centre, which had not been renovated since the 1980s and which we have now completely renovated. Allegedly the working staff was disturbed by the sound of the compressor used by the contractor during the renovation….but how much more pettiness are we going to hear about all the great things we are doing that will completely change the National Health System this year?”

Indeed, for the FSSU and the left, if there are projects underway, they talk about abandoning National Health buildings and are bothered by the compressors!

If I may remind you, in response to a parliamentary question by New Left MP Nassos Iliopoulos on the renovation and completion of the Aegina Health Centre, the Health Minister stressed that “the works in Aegina are finished, completed. They have not yet been officially delivered. Right now, the largest hospital building upgrade since the establishment of the National Health System is taking place. From one end of Greece to the other we are completely changing the building infrastructure of hospitals. We received wrecks and we are handing over a palaces. And yet, we are still waiting to hear a ‘thumbs up’ from the opposition.”

Addressing the New Left MP, Adonis Georgiades added: “If there are no projects underway, you talk to the opposition about abandoning NHS buildings, but if there are projects, you are bothered by the compressors. Decide what you want! We have taken over a debt in Aegina and we are handing over to the Greek people a new Health Centre. I’m submitting a photo for the records, because here the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” applies. This is the year in which we are carrying out the largest building renovation in the history of the National Health System. We’re building all the hospitals at the same time. Let some people not complain about the sound of the compressors from the Aegina Health Centre considering what would happen if it remained a wreck.”

More specifically, the Minister of Health writes in his intervention today in X:

“The paranoia and distortion that has prevailed in recent days has been unprecedented. Here is today’s front-page article in today’s edition of the newspaper “Of the Editors”.

.         What are the true facts.

With hard work we have succeeded in contracting and starting all the renovation projects that we have included in the Recovery Fund for the building upgrade of the NHS, totalling €500,000,000. We will not miss a single project. However, the Recovery Fund has a time limit as it expires on 31/12/2025, so all the projects will be concluded within a short period of time. Is it possible to renovate 93 Hospitals and 158 Health Centres at the same time without the slightest disruption?

Let’s now move on to the works of “St. Savas” that the publication discusses. The project was awarded to a contractor in 2024, after a tender of 5.200.000€ for the renovation of the hospital’s operating rooms! This means that we are aiming at a total upgrade of its operating rooms that have not been renovated for decades.

All staff are aware of this, whatever is decided will be with full safety for patients and with full respect for employees! The decision involves all stakeholders of the hospital targeting at the best possible solution. We have another meeting at the YPE on Thursday.  Sismanoglio Hospital was simply considered as a solution, and we thank the Governor for his unreserved offer! The hospital is not closing!

All patients will be served as normal and a jewel will be delivered at the end! There can be no reconstruction with open surgeries! Work will begin on 22/4 and all patients will be notified in advance regarding the procedure.

Do you really believe though that it should not be renovated and that this opportunity for the NHS should be lost, or that a renovation of this magnitude can be done without the slightest disruption?

The day before yesterday in Parliament I answered a related question from a New Left MP, about the fact that, for example, at the Aegina Health Centre, which had not been renovated since the 1980s and which we have now completely renovated, the sound of the compressors used by the contractor during the renovation was disturbing its employees…. how much pettiness will we experience about all these great things we are doing and which will completely change the National Health System this year?

Η παράνοια και η διαστρέβλωση που κυριαρχεί τις τελευταίες μέρες έχει ξεπεράσει κάθε προηγούμενο. Εδώ το σημερινό πρωτοσέλιδο δημοσίευμα της @EFSYNTAKTON . Ποια είναι τα πραγματικά περιστατικά. Με σκληρή δουλειά πετύχαμε ένα συμβασιοποιήσουμε και να ξεκινήσουμε το σύνολο των… pic.twitter.com/9L1eZqMcKI

— Άδωνις Γεωργιάδης (@AdonisGeorgiadi) February 25, 2025

Source: pagenews.gr