Union speaks out after two die awaiting ambulance service
The union representing state hospital workers, POEDIN, has expressed concern about the repercussions of understaffing and a dearth of ambulances following the deaths of two people in Halkidiki who paramedics failed to reach in time.
The latest case occurred on Sunday night when a 55-year-old man from Nea Skioni died while waiting for an ambulance to reach him after suffering a heart attack. According to local reports, there had been no ambulance available to dispatch when the man’s relatives called emergency services.
The other case occurred on Friday when a 38-year-old man from Ouranoupoli died after suffering an inflammation of the lungs. His relatives called an ambulance but it took an hour and 50 minutes to arrive and was too late to save him.
“Lives continue to be lost due to the operational inadequacy of EKAB,” POEDIN said, using the acronym of the National First Aid Center, the ambulance service.
