Union warns of understaffing at Dromokaiteio after biting incident

The union of Greek hospital workers, POEDIN, on Monday issued a statement expressing concern about the conditions in which health care staff work after a patient at the Dromokaiteio psychiatric hospital allegedly bit a nurse.

According to POEDIN's statement the patient is HIV positive.

The union expressed concern about the possible infection of the nurse who, it said, is undergoing treatment.

It said the incident underlined the "extremely dangerous working conditions" at the hospital in question which is "tragically understaffed," adding that acts of violence against staff there were virtually daily occurrences.

"Due to the collapse of the welfare state, the number of patients at psychiatric hospitals with intense overstimulated and offensive behavior, who are often drug users, resort to acts of violence due to their mental state," the statement said.