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- Ελληνικά
Health Minister Michael Damianos attended this morning's meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Equal Opportunities for Men and Women, during which the issue was discussed: "Patients' rights as enshrined through the implementation of the European Charter on Patients' Rights."
In a statement after the Committee's session, Damianos described as "very constructive" the debate that took place inside the parliamentary chamber, noting that several answers were given to issues that were raised. With regard to YESY, he recalled: "When it was implemented in 2019 it was part of a huge reform, but it is not yet over. Specific bills are pending which will frame the health services in our country and we hope that in the next period and within 2024 we will be able to submit them to Parliament so that the new health system in our country can be fully operational."
Responding to a reporter's question about a report made within the committee that specialist doctors are exploiting the system and accepting private patients and that this is illegal, the Health Minister replied that the issue should be looked into by the Ministry of Health and the OAS, adding: "Where the law is not observed, there should be exemplary punishment to serve as a deterrent for the future."
"One of the biggest problems mentioned during today's discussion concerns waiting lists for tests or procedures," Damianos said. "This is a real problem that no one is denying," he added, while noting that as far as this issue is concerned, "there are issues that can be solved immediately and issues that will be solved down the road."
Referring to ways which are expected to help reduce waiting lists at a later stage, the Health Minister said that the operation of University Clinics is expected to help in this direction, particularly in those cases where the lists are created due to a shortage of specialist doctors (e.g. endocrinologists). In addition, he also mentioned the categorisation of referrals into urgent and non-urgent, an issue which is expected to be completed soon. To address the problem, informing the beneficiaries of the system will also help, the Health Minister said, adding "We are all the GHS and we must understand how to use it in the right way."
(AF/NZ)
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