Most inhabitants of the Cyclades islands, in the heart of the Aegean archipelago, are unhappy with the quality of health services at their disposal, while at least one in three islanders must make a ferry journey to visit their private doctor, a survey has found.

According to a poll conducted on behalf of the Cyclades regional state health service made public yesterday, islanders awarded an average 2.8 out of five for the quality of the health service at their disposal. The most frequent complaint (voiced by 70.9 percent of respondents) concerned the shortage of medical staff, followed by a lack of equipment, and the way in which emergencies are handled.

The most acutely missed medical specializations, according to the survey, were pediatricians, cardiologists, general practitioners, surgeons and gynecologists.

Some 35.8 percent of respondents said they consulted private doctors away from their own island — mostly in Athens — while 45.4 percent said they used facilities of the National Health System on their own island or elsewhere.