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Την Ελληνική μας σελίδα θα την βρείτε εδω http://mki-ellinikou.blogspot.com/ +++


Monday, December 23, 2013

The data speaks for itself: Enough is enough!


PRESS RELEASE

The data speaks for itself: Enough is enough!


In a few days the Metropolitan Community Clinic at Helliniko will complete its second year of operation. Two years of non-stop care, solidarity and struggle for what should exist without exceptions: Dignity, health, life.

In this second year the situation became tragic for those without any insurance, the long-term unemployed and those with no means of subsistence, who are excluded from public healthcare.

Last year's data are shocking:

·         Visits to the Metropolitan Community Clinic for primary health care (doctor visits, medicinal coverage) and provision of baby food are already more than 17.500.

·         Besides these visits, 2.331 laboratory tests were made, by collaborating laboratories that offer them for free to people that absolutely need them, as follows: 749 imaging tests, 193 cardiological tests, 503 ophtalmological, 886 blood and microbiological tests.

·         The Metropolitan Community Clinic arranged 102 surgical procedures, 78 in Public Hospitals and 24 in private ones. 21 of them were urgent - 15 of them were cardiac procedures and heart surgeries, 1 aortic aneurysm, 1 was cancer-related and 4 were childbirths.

Still, today, 50 patients with serious medical problems, await secondary treatment. 10 of them are in life-threatening conditions:

1 with abdominal aortic aneurysm
8 cardiac surgery cases
1 possible cancer

What will happen to these patients, that are verifiably in no position to pay? Will we let them die as well, Minister? Our hospitals with the closed budget you have imposed, can not cover these patients' health expenditures. When you show this criminal negligence regarding the uninsured patients, how do you expect us to believe that you will demonstrate the sensitivity required in the restructuring of primary health care?

We therefore call on the state in order not to grieve more victims, like the 36 year old cancer patient that died, leaving two young children behind.

Community Clinics are doing the best they can, but they can not replace secondary health care -the state has to assume its responsibilities at last.


PATIENTS ARE NOT ACCOUNTING PROBLEMS, THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS!




METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CLINIC AT HELLENIKO 

  Working Hours
(MONDAY - FRIDAY 10:00 - 20:00)  and (SATURDAY 10:00 - 14:00) 
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: +30 210 9631950 
ADDRESS: Inside the old American Military Base, 200m away from the Traffic Police of the Municipality of Helleniko, next to the Cultural Center of Helleniko
Post code TK16777, Elliniko, Attiki, Greece 
Blog 
http://mkie-foreign.blogspot.gr/ Email mkiellinikou@gmail.com

Thursday, December 19, 2013

This is no success story



Press Release
"This is no success story"

Since July of 2012, when we started treating cancer patients, working together with the oncology clinic of Sotiria Hospital we have helped 126 patients.  Unfortunately we also lost ten of them and some of these left orphaned children.

These 126 cancer patients are, of course, just a fraction of our 4,000 patients and of the 16,000 cases we have treated at the Metropolitan Community Clinic at Helliniko in the 23 months of our existence.  All our patients together are only a drop in the ocean of three million uninsured citizens that the governments of the last three years have excluded from our public health system.

The following allegations and observations of two of our patients were presented in the in the program “We Walk Together” on the web channel Vmedia on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTlI_5rV-go&list=UUFbRfPGLp-EsXtB8MLWQ3Eg  - (This video is in Greek)

These testimonials are a response to the leaders in power that turn a deaf ear and stubbornly pursue policies which lead individuals to miserable consequences when they need support at such difficult moments. 

We also include statistics concerning the 126 cancer patients which show clearly the immensity of their crime and the consequences of the state’s cruelty towards the uninsured – especially toward cancer patients. 











METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CLINIC AT HELLENIKO 

  Working Hours
(MONDAY - FRIDAY 10:00 - 20:00)  and (SATURDAY 10:00 - 14:00) 
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: +30 210 9631950 
ADDRESS: Inside the old American Military Base, 200m away from the Traffic Police of the Municipality of Helleniko, next to the Cultural Center of Helleniko
Post code TK16777, Elliniko, Attiki, Greece 
Blog 
http://mkie-foreign.blogspot.gr/ Email mkiellinikou@gmail.com

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

“Certain things can't be hidden under the red carpet rolled out for the Troika...”


PRESS RELEASE

Certain things can't be hidden under the red carpet rolled out for the Troika...”

The government and the officials at the Ministry of Health may put on a show, trying to convince us that everything is getting better, but studies regarding the status of health care at a European level, prove them liars once again, mirroring the stark reality of the crisis in Greece.

According to the study of Eurofound (2013): “Impacts of the crisis on access to healthcare services in the EU”, referring to the impact of the financial crisis upon Health services in EU countries, in Greece in particular (without taking into account the even worse developments that have taken place during the past two years)

·         there was a 43% rise from 2007 to 2011 in people that have not been able to meet their medical needs due to the rising cost

·         spending on public Health has decreased by 12% in 2010 and by a further 14% in 2011

·         there was an increase in cases of tuberculosis, influenza, sexually transmitted diseases and even malaria that re-emerged, due to the drastic cuts in prevention and infection control measures, especially among vulnerable population groups

Furthermore, according to the article published by the prestigious medical journal The Lancet (Volume 378, Issue 9801, 22 October 2011)

·         there was a 40% rise in suicides in 2011 in comparison to 2010, while 25% of the callers in help-lines where facing financial difficulties

·         the Greek chapter of the Medecins du Monde estimates that the proportion of Greeks seeking medical attention from their street-clinics rose from 3-4% before the crisis to about 30%

The Lancet article ends with a warning: “In an effort to finance debts, ordinary people are paying the ultimate price: Losing access to care and preventive services, facing higher risks of sexually transmitted diseases, and in the worst cases losing their lives. Greater attention to health and health-care access is needed, to ensure that the Greek crisis does not undermine the ultimate source of the country's wealth -its people.”.

If one adds to all this the three million citizens without any social security and therefore without access to public health services, one can get a clear picture of the results of the “Memorandum” policies and the collapse of the National Healthcare System.

Is anyone listening?

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References:

The Lancet Volume 378, Issue 9801, 22 October 2011 - Alexander Kentikelenis, Marina Karanikolos, Irene Papanicolas, Sanjay Basu, Martin McKee, David Stuckler - Health effects of financial crisis: Οmens of a Greek tragedy
    
Eurofound (2013) Impacts of the crisis on access to healthcare services in the EU -



METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CLINIC AT HELLENIKO 

  Working Hours
(MONDAY - FRIDAY 10:00 - 20:00)  and (SATURDAY 10:00 - 14:00) 
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: +30 210 9631950 
ADDRESS: Inside the old American Military Base, 200m away from the Traffic Police of the Municipality of Helleniko, next to the Cultural Center of Helleniko
Post code TK16777, Elliniko, Attiki, Greece 
Blog 
http://mkie-foreign.blogspot.gr/ Email mkiellinikou@gmail.com

News on the Solidarity Caravan in Italy



Helliniko 22 November 2013

Press Release
News on the Solidarity Caravan in Italy


The Solidarity Caravan arrived at its final destination in Padua after a journey of 28 days and visiting 15 different cities in Italy.  For further information as to what cities the caravan visited, you can read our first press release here (link)

It was very moving to see our Italian friends organize this Caravan of Solidarity with our clinic and its patients.  In essence, the Solidarity Caravan was for all of the people in our countries who suffer under the crisis.

We had the opportunity on several occasions to speak, via Skype directly with MCCH from several of the events that had been organized and from different cities visited by the caravan.  Ioanna Lymperopoulou a volunteer from our communication team was able to attend three of them.  The keen interest from the Italians showed deep interest in the subject and the repeated questions on the status of public health in our country clearly showed deep anxiety about what is happening.

We want to thank Mrs. Sonia Metralia of the group “Women for Reproductive Rights” that brought us in contact with the group “Donee nella crisi” (Women of the Crisis) who had the idea of the caravan and assisted us with contacts to make it a reality.

Here is a short summary of the events of our volunteers participated in during their stay in Italy.

On Tuesday 12 November, the caravan arrived in Livorno.  After a reception outside the Spendali Rivinti Hosptial, spokeswoman for MCCH Ioanna Lymperopoulou and Rosa Calderazzi, a representative of Donne nella Crisi met with representatives of the International Cooperation in Hospital Health and discussed ways to strengthen solidarity towards the needy and uninsured patients of MCCH

In the afternoon there was an open meeting at Teatrofficina Refugio where Ioanna Lymperopoulou made a presentation on the clinic and the problems currently facing the public health system in Greece.  A discussion and dinner followed


Arrival of the caravan in Livorno, outside the hospital Spendali Rivinti.


Distribution of leaflets outside the hospital to inform the public about the meeting, the clinic and the state of public health in Greece.


The meeting at Teatrofficina Refuggio, Livorno

On Wednesday, the caravan arrived in Mantua.  Rosa Calderazzi of Donne nella Crisi spoke in an open meeting.  Doctors from MCCH was able to participate in the meeting via Skype.  Discussion followed the presentation.

On Thursday 15 November, the caravan was received in Turin.  An open meeting was held in the afternoon in Piazza Madama.  Ioanna Lymperopoulou made a presentation.  This was followed by comments from bystanders on the situation currently facing the Italian health care system.  A dinner followed the dialog. 


“Per Helleniko, in Solidarieta alla Grecia” – the slogan of solidarity from our Italian friends.


Organizing events in Turin



Piazza Madama




METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CLINIC AT HELLENIKO 

  Working Hours
(MONDAY-FRIDAY 10:00-14:00) (MONDAY 17:00-20:00) 
(TUESDAY 14:00-20:00) (WEDNESDAY 16:00-20:00) (THURSDAY 14:00-20:00)
(FRIDAY 14:00-19:00) (SATURDAY 10:00-14:00) 
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: +30 210 9631950 
ADDRESS: Inside the old American Military Base, 200m away from the Traffic Police of the Municipality of Helleniko, next to the Cultural Center of Helleniko
Post code TK16777, Elliniko, Attiki, Greece 
Blog 
http://mkie-foreign.blogspot.gr/ Email mkiellinikou@gmail.com