Staff shortages and equipment problems at Kalymnos Hospital are at the centre of a statement issued by the Communist Party of Greece’s local branch, which challenges the government’s emphasis on the inauguration of the hospital’s Cardiology Clinic.
Dated October 5, 2026, the statement was issued ahead of Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis’s visit to Kalymnos. The local party organisation argues that inauguration ceremonies do little to address the daily difficulties facing patients and staff at Vouvaleio Hospital.
The branch states that the Cardiology Clinic already existed and that its new equipment was provided through donations rather than Health Ministry funding. Its central question is who will operate that equipment, given what it describes as inadequate staffing.
According to the statement, the hospital has no permanent cardiologist. Two private cardiologists working under service contracts cover a combined total of 16 on-call shifts per month. The organisation also argues that transferring staff from other departments to the Cardiology Clinic would deepen shortages elsewhere in the hospital.
The statement lists several further concerns. The branch reports that the hospital has just one nephrologist, required to provide on-call coverage throughout the month, one radiologist and one cook. It says an ear, nose and throat specialist is available for only eight days each month. It also alleges that hospital porters perform emergency responder duties, a practice it describes as unlawful.
Other reported problems include understaffing in administrative services, the absence of equipment for identifying microorganisms in the microbiology department, and washing machines and dryers that the organisation says are out of service, complicating the handling of hospital linen.
The local KKE branch also criticises the transfer of doctors from other hospitals, arguing that this shifts staffing shortages between facilities. It attributes the problems to healthcare policies pursued by both the current and previous governments, contrasting the need for permanent recruitment with government fiscal priorities and military expenditure.
The statement highlights the contribution of hospital workers, crediting their professionalism and dedication with sustaining public healthcare on the island.
Concluding with the message that demanding basic healthcare provision should not be dismissed as negativity, the Kalymnos branch calls on residents to campaign for stronger public health services and support the KKE.
