Injured footballer taken to Health Centre in farm trailer!
South Corfu
15 Jan 2023
/ 10:18
CORFU. No ambulances were available in South Corfu and the footballer had to be taken to the Health Centre in a farm trailer.
An injured footballer had to be taken to Lefkimmi Health Centre in a farm trailer on Saturday evening. Yet another incident highlighting the consequences of the Ambulance Service (EKAB) being understaffed and the public health services on the island being like those of a third world country.
The 20-year-old footballer was injured and lost consciousness in the match in near Lefkimmi between Kavos and AO Kerkyra on Saturday evening. There was no ambulance available as the EKAB base in South Corfu does not operate every day due to lack of personnel. There was no shift on Saturday and it would take an hour for an ambulance to comed from the centre of the island.
The young player was fortunate in that the paramedic Fanis Vlassis was there and was able to give him first aid. There was then no other solution but to take him to Lefkimmi Health Centre on a farm trailer.
Understaffing
"It is a disgrace that a patient has to be transferred on a farm trailer," Corfu Ambulance Service Employees Union said.
"It is a disgrace that the young footballer who was injured and lost consciousness in Lefkimmi had to be transferred by farm trailer and this is not the emergency service care that we want to see. These kind of incidents are an offence to human life and public health and pose huge risks for people's lives.
The South Corfu EKAB base doesn't have the personnel to operate a shift today, 14 January, and an ambulance would have to come from central Corfu with an estimated arrival time of after an hour. For this reason the patient was put on a farm trailer and taken to Lefkimmi Health Centre in that way.
Corfu Ambulance Service Employees Union has repeatedly requested for full staffing so that there can be 24-hour availability in South Corfu and a base be set up in North Corfu.
The situation is putting human lives at risk. It is time that the state provided an immediate solution to the serious problems with Corfu Ambulance Service. Corfu Ambulance Service Employees Union will not cease fighting for full staffing in whatever way it can."
Thanks from AO Kerkyra
In a post the AO Kerkyra President Giorgos Kolitas publicly thanked the paramedic Fanis Vlassis, who gave first aid to the footballer when he was injured.
"As President of AO Kerkyra I must publicly thank Fanis Vlassis. Dear Fanis, the main priority in sport is the mental and physical health of the sportspeople. Today you handled a difficult situation for our player Aggelos during the football match quickly and efficiently.
May God bless you and your family.
I would also like to congratulate the medical staff on duty today at Lefkimmi Health Centre.
Aggelos - wishing you a speedy recovery!"
The 20-year-old footballer was injured and lost consciousness in the match in near Lefkimmi between Kavos and AO Kerkyra on Saturday evening. There was no ambulance available as the EKAB base in South Corfu does not operate every day due to lack of personnel. There was no shift on Saturday and it would take an hour for an ambulance to comed from the centre of the island.
The young player was fortunate in that the paramedic Fanis Vlassis was there and was able to give him first aid. There was then no other solution but to take him to Lefkimmi Health Centre on a farm trailer.
Understaffing
"It is a disgrace that a patient has to be transferred on a farm trailer," Corfu Ambulance Service Employees Union said.
"It is a disgrace that the young footballer who was injured and lost consciousness in Lefkimmi had to be transferred by farm trailer and this is not the emergency service care that we want to see. These kind of incidents are an offence to human life and public health and pose huge risks for people's lives.
The South Corfu EKAB base doesn't have the personnel to operate a shift today, 14 January, and an ambulance would have to come from central Corfu with an estimated arrival time of after an hour. For this reason the patient was put on a farm trailer and taken to Lefkimmi Health Centre in that way.
Corfu Ambulance Service Employees Union has repeatedly requested for full staffing so that there can be 24-hour availability in South Corfu and a base be set up in North Corfu.
The situation is putting human lives at risk. It is time that the state provided an immediate solution to the serious problems with Corfu Ambulance Service. Corfu Ambulance Service Employees Union will not cease fighting for full staffing in whatever way it can."
Thanks from AO Kerkyra
In a post the AO Kerkyra President Giorgos Kolitas publicly thanked the paramedic Fanis Vlassis, who gave first aid to the footballer when he was injured.
"As President of AO Kerkyra I must publicly thank Fanis Vlassis. Dear Fanis, the main priority in sport is the mental and physical health of the sportspeople. Today you handled a difficult situation for our player Aggelos during the football match quickly and efficiently.
May God bless you and your family.
I would also like to congratulate the medical staff on duty today at Lefkimmi Health Centre.
Aggelos - wishing you a speedy recovery!"
