Punishing private doctors a ‘last resort’

Taking a step back from his harsh rhetoric against private doctors who do not cooperate with public hospitals to help cover serious staffing shortages, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said on Wednesday that it is not his intention to force them to comply, noting that tough measures are the "last resort."

On Tuesday, Georgiadis warned that he would take "drastic measures" if there is no interest from private doctors to help National Health System (ESY) hospitals for a fee.

"My intention is not to take measures. Measures are the last resort that the state has in its hands, but on the other hand I cannot, as minister of health, pretend that a hospital can operate without a pathologist. That is not possible," he said.

Since Tuesday, private doctors in areas where ESY hospitals are understaffed such as the island of Kos, Laconia in southern Greece as well as...