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Medical staff and other employees are at their limits at the Thessaloniki General Hospital “Ippokratio”, a hospital facing a significant shortage of staff and in recent days has been called in to respond to the massive attendance, which does not say “stop” until the third week. quarantine – coronavirus patients.
“We do not know what we will face today …”, says the president of the Ippokratio Workers’ Union, Christos Tselepis, obviously worried and anxious. Yesterday he had the opportunity to see up close and congratulate on their mental strength the ten nurses who moved voluntarily from Crete and joined the staff of the Intensive Care Units (ICU). “A breath of optimism,” he characteristically says.
Numerous staff transfers to meet Hippocrates’ needs
“Of course, the specialized staff that comes will surely help in a very difficult situation that we experience with patients. But they are not the only ten nurses in Crete. In recent days, another five people from Komotini, another 15 colleagues from the surrounding Health Centers and ten from Theagenio have gone to the hospital. “Again, they are not enough,” says Mr. Tselepis.
He adds: “Everyone is expected to help in the marginal situation we are experiencing. “The hospital is understaffed and remains understaffed to respond to the difficult conditions created by the pandemic, especially in Thessaloniki, which is being ruthlessly affected.”
More than 80 Hippocrates workers have been infected or quarantined.
As in other hospitals in Thessaloniki, some of the medical and nursing staff who come into daily contact with Covid-19 patients have been infected. As the number of patients increases, so does the number of cases in the workforce, underlines the president of the Hippocrates Workers’ Union.
“Cases have occurred in various clinics from time to time. As of today, we estimate that more than 80 colleagues are ill and in quarantine. We asked the administration last week for the exact number. Obviously, this number is high considering the deficiencies and the prevailing intensity. Every day the situation worsens and the battle intensifies to save human lives. We are in a quagmire “, emphasizes Mr. Tselepis.
Beds for coronavirus patients expanded
According to the workers, a hospital building was initially handed over to coronavirus patients. Today, due to the duty shift, the first floor of the Agia Sofia building, where the Pathology Clinic operated until yesterday, has been emptied to be handed over to new patients.
What the president of the workers says is indicative of the situation. “Even before the previous vigil, Hippocrates had 200 beds for Covid-19. Another 30 beds were added to the previous vigil and another 60 beds have been added for today. In total, that is, 300 beds. New extensions are made in each shift The attendance is so high that they cannot empty the beds, despite the fact that patients are transferred to other hospitals, such as “Agios Pavlos” and “Agios Dimitrios.” Every day we create new beds to transport patients suffering from other diseases and they have not been infected in private hospitals, such as Inter-Balkan. And the bad thing is that in the whole of northern Greece there is a serious problem. I don’t know what will happen … “, he says, conveying the anxiety of the employees, the Mr. Tselepis.
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