Greece, demonstrations at clinics, private hospitals

Greek citizens in need of hospital care could face difficulties after representatives of hospitals, clinics and private diagnostic centres informed the health ministry and the national organization for health care provision (EOPPY), that starting from Monday, October 8, non-paying patients will not be hospitalized unless the state pays them arrears for the months of May, June and July 2012. The initiative, according to the president of the national association of private clinics, Andreas Kartapanis, will be repeated and last five days each. 'The prosecution of the demonstrations will depend on the situation's development', said Kartapanis. EOPYY's debt towards private institutions until December 2011 totalled 800 million euros while the debt recorded in the first semester of 2012 has reached 200 million euros, according to Kartapanis.