An elderly tourist died of cardiac arrest on Sunday in the village of Anavra, part of the municipality Almyros, located in Magnesia, Thessaly, only meters away from the rural health center which was closed at the time of her death.
Her death has sparked outrage in the community as the deputy mayor of Almyros said on TV that although a doctor had been appointed to the clinic the facilities remained closed, leaving the area without proper medical coverage.
The woman, who was part of a group visiting Anavra on an excursion, suddenly felt unwell and collapsed. However, the Anavra Rural Health Clinic was closed. Nurses who were part of the group attempted to provide first aid, but the woman did not survive.
The tragic incident gained traction in Greek media, with Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis calling in on a current affairs show on Open TV to refute the allegations by the mayor of Almyros.
The Minister accused the local official of creating misleading impressions claiming that although the incident was tragic there had never been doctors on duty at regional health centers on Sundays anywhere in Greece since 1983.
“It was a Sunday. As the deputy mayor knows, there has never been a doctor on duty at rural clinics on Sundays since the establishment of the National Health System (ESY) in 198,” the Minister said.
“We should not create the impression that a tourist died because there was no doctor at the clinic, as this is a false impression. No state can have doctors available everywhere,” Georgiadis concluded.
