Ambulance takes 1.5 hours to get to Ai Gordis - Only 2-3 ambulances available
ambulance service
17 Aug 2022
/ 14:03
CORFU. Despite the loss of lives and the citizens and workers΄ concern, the Central Ambulance Service (EKAB) in Athens does not seem to care.
There was yet another great delay in an ambulance arriving on Tuesday afternoon when it was called out to a road accident in Ai Gordis.
The EKAB centre, which is located in Ioannina, was informed of a serious injury at 16:40 and the ambulance finally managed to arrive at 18:15.
It is of course not the first time that such an incident occurs in Corfu, which only has 2-3 ambulances available at the peak of the tourist season with road accidents increasing sharply.
Apparently, it will not be the last time either, since despite the loss of lives and the citizens and workers' concern, the Central EKAB in Athens does not seem to care.
It is also sad that in order for Corfu to acquire a motorcycle ambulance, which only costs €18,000, a major hotel chain operating on the island had to donate it.
Still waiting for new ambulances and staff
EKAB's negligence to put the supply of 18 new ambulances again out to tender, with funding from the ESPA Programme, really makes us wonder.
Enimerosi asked the Deputy Governor for Public Health and Welfare Melita repeatedly about this and she responded that she is constantly putting pressure to EKAB's ESPA service, which is the one responsible according to the contract signed with the Ionian Islands Region.
Since last February, when the first tender was unsuccessful, the file of the Ionian Islands has been waiting to be put out to tender again.
However, the understaffing of the ambulance service is a bigger problem than the lack of vehicles, because no matter how many vehicles the service has, there must be the necessary crew to use them. Likewise, the employees are still waiting for the advertisement of positions, but no one seems to be in a hurry – except perhaps the people whose lives are at risk!
More and more people are complaining and the community's anger is growing, but without the necessary explanations for the delays it all points towards a clear political choice, while the files remain in the “drawers”.
The EKAB centre, which is located in Ioannina, was informed of a serious injury at 16:40 and the ambulance finally managed to arrive at 18:15.
It is of course not the first time that such an incident occurs in Corfu, which only has 2-3 ambulances available at the peak of the tourist season with road accidents increasing sharply.
Apparently, it will not be the last time either, since despite the loss of lives and the citizens and workers' concern, the Central EKAB in Athens does not seem to care.
It is also sad that in order for Corfu to acquire a motorcycle ambulance, which only costs €18,000, a major hotel chain operating on the island had to donate it.
Still waiting for new ambulances and staff
EKAB's negligence to put the supply of 18 new ambulances again out to tender, with funding from the ESPA Programme, really makes us wonder.
Enimerosi asked the Deputy Governor for Public Health and Welfare Melita repeatedly about this and she responded that she is constantly putting pressure to EKAB's ESPA service, which is the one responsible according to the contract signed with the Ionian Islands Region.
Since last February, when the first tender was unsuccessful, the file of the Ionian Islands has been waiting to be put out to tender again.
However, the understaffing of the ambulance service is a bigger problem than the lack of vehicles, because no matter how many vehicles the service has, there must be the necessary crew to use them. Likewise, the employees are still waiting for the advertisement of positions, but no one seems to be in a hurry – except perhaps the people whose lives are at risk!
More and more people are complaining and the community's anger is growing, but without the necessary explanations for the delays it all points towards a clear political choice, while the files remain in the “drawers”.
