Two private clinics mobilized to treat Covid cases
Two private Athens medical clinics have been mobilized in the service of treating coronavirus patients as public hospitals in the Greek capital struggle with mounting admissions and intubations.
According to official figures, more than 90% of Attica’s 350 or so intensive care beds for Covid patients were full on Monday, while capacity at its regular coronavirus wards reached 82%. Nationwide, capacity at Covid ICUs reached 66.5% and at regular wards 50% on Monday.
In an announcement on Tuesday, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias confirmed that the privately owned Hellenic Healthcare Group has offered use of two of its clinics to the treatment of Covid-19 patients and had started taking in cases last Thursday.
The ministry also plans to dedicate the Sismanogleio Hospital to the treatment of Covid patients while taking some of the pressure off other coronavirus referral hospitals by transferring non-Covid patients to the NIMTS and the Henry Dunant, and outsourcing emergency admissions from the Asklipeio and Thriaseio to private medical facilities.
It had also planned to use 30 beds at the Halkida General Hospital in Evia to treat non-Covid patients from other hospitals in Athens, though this was put on hold following reactions from doctors there.
