Private practice doctors criticise 6th Health Region for lack of oncologist at Corfu Hospital

The decision of the Director of the 6th Health Region not to approve the transfer of an oncologist from Patras Hospital to Corfu Hospital has caused a strong reaction from the medical community. After the death of the late oncologist Anna Mouzakiti, the position has remained vacant, and needs are being met with temporary solutions until a permanent specialist doctor is appointed and hired.

Statement fromf Corfu Association of Private Practice Doctors:

Following a recent Board meeting of the Association of Private Practice Doctors and the General Assembly of Corfu Medical Association, we were informed about the various serious and urgent problems in the health system affecting both the public and private sectors in Corfu.

Despite efforts to support the operational problems of our hospital, we were informed of a very serious issue concerning one of the most critical departments of the hospital, the Oncology Department.

Unfortunately, after the tragic loss of the late oncologist Anna Mouzakiti Dafni, who single-handedly served the department from its inception until the last day of her life, there is a lack of a doctor, putting at risk the functioning of the department.

We are aware that the hospital administration is making superhuman efforts to find a solution to this problem and had contacted a Corfiot oncologist who serves in an Oncology Clinic in the same Health Region and who was and still is interested in taking over the Oncology unit of Corfu General Hospital.

Unfortunately, the 6th Health Region administration did not agree to the transfer of our colleague, justifying the decision by saying that it cannot weaken one department to strengthen another, despite knowing that Corfu General Hospital does not have a single oncologist, while the other has eight oncologists.

In the face of this decision, we feel nothing but shame as Corfu citizens and as doctors. We sincerely want the political authorities of Corfu, who haven't taken any action, our three MPs, the Mayors, and the Regional Governor to take full responsibility.

If they truly care about Corfu, they should demand from the Ministry of Health the immediate transfer of our colleague. It is shameful that cancer patients, who unfortunately are numerous on our island, are forced to move themselves and their families out of Corfu to fight such a serious problem. We know that treatments are being administered at Corfu Hospital without the presence of an oncologist, but by a general practitioner who follows instructions from an oncologist colleague who will come once or twice a month from another hospital to keep the unit from closing.

Corfu citizens should also demand the immediate transfer and permanent appointment of an oncologist.

Corfu is a large island with approximately 100,000 permanent residents and is flooded with about 2,000,000 seasonal tourists every summer. These numbers indicate the urgent need for immediate and comprehensive staffing of our hospital as a secondary health care unit. Health consists of two major pillars that support it: public and private care. One needs the other so that the Corfu citizen can feel secure about their own health and that of their family in any situation that may arise.

Private doctors in Corfu support and will always support the one and only public hospital here. Many times, calls have been made for doctors to come and help, either from the hospital itself or from local or regional administrations.

Finally, let all Corfu citizens, the entire medical community, and our local politicians work together to find a permanent solution to the health problems of our island and to prevent them from perpetuating.

The authorities must explain to us the urgent reasons that first prevent the resolution of the operational problems of the oncology department and then the solution to the other operational problems of our hospital.

The Board of Directors

CHRISTINA GEREKOU