Until the government justifies the selective default of the Greek state, people’s lives and dignity will have collapsed. The polyclinics of two humanitarian organizations, “Doctors of the World” and «Praksis», gave until today free medicines and primary care, particularly to immigrants who had no access to the NHS.
Things have changed over the year. Every day, retirees who do not have to buy their medicine, middle age people who because of unemployment lost their insurance rights, parents who cannot offer their children the basic medical care such as vaccination go there and ask for free medicine.
The president of “Doctors of the World” Nikitas Kranakis, stated that until recently the percentage of Greeks who were seeking help was 3-4% has now reached 30%. Many retirees from 55 to 60 years, who for various reasons do not have insurance, seek for help.
There are also many unemployed seeking food. N. Kranakis remembers the case of an old woman who came to take some free medicine and when the doctors advised her to take it after food, she replied “Do not be so certain that I always have food to eat”.
Last year, the office of Athens had offered assistance to 580 Greeks, while this year the number has increased to 1500. 160 patients visited the office of Thessaloniki last year,while this year the number has increased to 800.
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