Plevris rejects allegations of ‘selective admission’ to ICUs

Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris on Wednesday rejected as “fake news” reports that ICU beds were being reserved for selective admission of “VIP” patients, such as politicians and high ranking bishops, saying that these rumors “offend doctors.”

“Regarding the complaints that there is selective admission of patients to ICUs, it should be clarified that the patients who need an ICU are declared by doctors on the relevant platform…All hospitals that have empty ICU beds see the requests and, based on medical criteria, they accept the patient into the empty ICU bed that they have following a decision made by doctors,” he said.

“Those who circulate fake news operate as slanderers and are accountable to the doctors, whom they insult”.

Plevris was responding to Michalis Giannakos, the president of the national federation of Greek hospital workers (POEDIN), who told Skai TV earlier on Wednesday that there are currently 47 vacant ICU beds in Greece, while there are a total of 114 patients on waiting lists. Asked if he believed some hospitals keep those beds empty for possible “VIP” patients, he said, “Yes.”