About 3 million Greeks without health insurance

Three million Greeks live without health insurance

12/10/2013

The economic problems of Greece arising in connection with the financial crisis of 2008 are increasingly having an impact on the social benefits of the financially ailing middle-class state. The number of people who are no longer able to pay their social security contributions is growing every month. The organization „Doctors of the world“ draws attention in this connection to the resulting serious consequences for the inhabitants.

In the meantime, about three million people can no longer afford health insurance. This corresponds to a population of 10.8 million citizens, a share of almost 30 percent. A huge number considering that the impact also affect a lot of children.

The fact that the EU, in cooperation with the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is making enormous savings in the Greek budget as conditions for financial support is increasing the suffering of the population. Expenditure on health and social expenditures is being cut more and more, which of course also has an effect on the supply of medical care.

Children are not vaccinated enough
As a result, dropping out of social security has serious consequences, especially for pregnant women and children. Thus, the proportion of stillbirths in the years between 2008 and 2011 increased by one fifth. Vaccinations are no longer performed in many children and the services for the chronically ill are increasingly limited. The „Doctors of the world“ put the cost of vaccinations in the first six years of life at 1900 to 2500 euros. 6580 of the more than 10,600 supervised children had to be re-vaccinated by the organization. The statutory social security body -ETAM recently denied diabetics therapeutic footwear. The reason given was that an amputation was more economical. Various initiatives and organizations have confirmed that more and more Greeks are looking for help as they no longer have access to health services, thus relying on the services of social organizations. (Fr)

Image: Christian Pohl