Ministry aims for more ICU beds at ESY hospitals

The Health Ministry has appointed a scientific committee to oversee the acquisition of new intensive care unit beds for the National Health System (ESY), with the aim that Greece reaches the European average of 12 beds per 100,000 citizens.

The head of the committee is Anastasia Kotanidou, professor of pulmonology and intensive care at Evangelismos Hospital and president of the Hellenic Society of Intensive Care.

Last week, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias told Kathimerini that the ministry’s aim is for ESY to acquire 1,200 new ICU beds.

He said that, at the moment, the ministry has at its disposal 840 ICU beds in ESY hospitals, 145 in private clinics and 32 in military hospitals.

Meanwhile, on Friday, two more people died from Covid-19, bringing the death toll to 150, according to Health Ministry adviser Sotiris Tsiodras. 

The infectious diseases expert also reported 13 new infections, bringing total confirmed cases in the country to 2,691.