Emergency medical services

Health and ambulance services on the islands are struggling to respond to increased needs with scarce capabilities in August for yet another summer. 

Mykonos, Paros, Santorini, Samos and Chios have just one ambulance operating around the clock and a second operating a few days a month. 

Within the scope of the works of the Health Ministry, motorcycle ambulances have been introduced to provide emergency healthcare services to patients within minutes, especially in zones where traffic jams are frequent.

Health professionals are protesting a government decision to use uniformed personnel in the transport of patients in island and mountainous areas which have ambulance staff shortages.

The decision, they say, will compromise safety protocols as ambulance crews must have special training and certification.

Greece's National Healthcare System, or ESY, is in dire need of a comprehensive overhaul. The issue at hand goes beyond mere allocation of resources or recruitment. Without taking bold measures, all efforts will be futile and lead to a dead end.

The Health Ministry is awaiting the findings of an investigation conducted by the National First Aid Center (EKAV) and the 1st Health Region of Attica regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of a 19-year-old pregnant woman in Nea Makri on Tuesday and the complaints of the ambulance service's delayed response.

The death of a 63-year-old woman on the eastern Aegean island of Kos on Sunday has underscored serious medical service shortages on the Greek isles and promoted fresh calls from for more staff and equipment.

Slovenia is marking 20 years since the helicopter emergency medical service was first introduced. The service began in 2003 as a pilot project and is now an indispensable tool in the search and rescue toolbox.

The unit, dubbed the HEMS Brnik, was located at Ljubljana Airport and used Slovenian Armed Forces helicopters.

The decision by several hospitals in Athens to contract private ambulance companies to transport patients after the completion of their hospitalization has drawn a reaction from the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Worker (POEDIN) and staff of the EKAV ambulance service, citing an unclear legal framework.

The mayor of the East Attica town of Oropos has expressed regret over an incident concerning the treatment of a troubled 69-year-old resident by the crew of a private ambulance service working for the municipality, describing the incident "like something from the Middle Ages."

A 30-year-old man is in a coma after an accident on the Ring Road in Sofia.

The accident occurred shortly after midnight, involving a vehicle driven by the victim and an EMS-Montana ambulance.

The seriously injured driver of the car was admitted to the Military Medical Academy.