Ambulance Service base in North Corfu at last!

After years, the commitment of EKAB (Ambulance Service) to establish a base in North Corfu is finally being implemented, a longstanding demand of the workers after many years of advocacy.

The fact is officially reflected in the announcement of recruitments by the Ministry of Health, published in the Government Gazette on December 29, 2023. It includes a total of 8 positions in the ambulance crew sector specifically for the new North Corfu department.

The new branch will provide relief to the critical area of pre-hospital emergency care and its role is crucial, considering the significant distance from the main EKAB base in Corfu Town, putting human lives at risk on a daily basis.

However, EKAB is understaffed, and the base in Lefkimmi is not functioning properly. Given that there was no base in North Corfu, coupled with the distances on the island and the tourist season, the situation can become extremely dangerous for residents, visitors, and workers alike.

The North Corfu Municipal Council, moreover, had come to a unanimous decision last March, noting that there is a specific available space for the base in Sidari.

Recent commitments were made by the workers and by the President of EKAB, Nikos Papaefstathiou, who had spoken with them during Corfu's participation in a large-scale exercise at the hospital.

The announced positions place strong emphasis on locality, aiming to minimise the possibility of relocation to another region of the country.

As stated in the Government Gazette, candidates who are permanent residents, if they wish to be appointed, must commit to serving for at least a decade in these positions. The proposal due to locality applies among candidates who possess the necessary qualifications.

The period for submitting online applications begins on Tuesday, January 16 at 08:00 and ends on Wednesday January 31 at 14:00.