The tangible and ongoing solidarity of the Hellenic Parliament toward the National Health System was highlighted by the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, during the ceremony for the handover of the donation of medical and hospital equipment to the General Hospital of Athens “ALEXANDRA”.
During the ceremony, the Speaker of Parliament expressed his emotion as, as he said, “The "ALEXANDRA" Hospital was my neighbor for 35 years while I was working at Aretaieio. Therefore, I feel as if I have come to my second home.” He then focused on the “unseen side” of Parliament, noting that “Parliament is not only what we see on the news bulletins. It also has another, beautiful side, the side of extroversion, social solidarity, and tangible support for public institutions and bodies.”
Nikitas Kaklamanis congratulated the hospital administration, his colleagues, the female nurses, the male nurses, all the employees, stressing: “I was and remain a "lover" of the National Health System. We will continue to help NHS hospitals and to make proper use of Parliament’s resources through sound management for substantial social work. And this will be neither our first nor our last assistance.”
The Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament explained that Parliament, although it manages only 2% of total state expenditures, succeeds through sound fiscal management in generating a surplus, which is directed to critical social needs, such as donations to universities, military hospitals, and NHS units, among which is the renovation of the University Cardiology Clinic at the “H SOTIRIA” hospital.
The donation of the Hellenic Parliament, with a total value of 79,000 euros, concerns the full provision of modern medical and hospital equipment for the substantial reinforcement of critical units of the hospital. Specifically, it includes 16 new hospital beds, a difficult intubation video laryngoscope system, and a modern technology colposcope, strengthening the Hospital’s equipment and contributing to the further upgrading of the services provided to patients.
For his part, the Deputy Minister of Health, Marios Themistokleous thanked the Hellenic Parliament and personally its Speaker, N. Kaklamanis, for the substantial contribution to the National Health System.
As he characteristically stated, “the new hospital beds and the modern medical equipment being delivered today to the General Hospital of Athens "ALEXANDRA" come to cover real needs of the Hospital’s daily operation and to further improve the conditions of hospitalization and care for patients. Every intervention that upgrades infrastructure, equipment, and ultimately the patient experience has substantial value.”
Subsequently, the administrator of G.N.A. “ALEXANDRA”, Elpiniki Tavianatou, thanked the Hellenic Parliament and Mr. Kaklamanis for the “generous offer”, stressing that the donation of the medical equipment will “substantially contribute to improving the conditions of hospitalization and the daily care of our patients”.
After the end of the event, the administration of “G.N.A. ALEXANDRA” expressed its thanks to Mr. Kaklamanis by awarding him an honorary plaque for his substantial support for its work.
At the donation handover ceremony, the Secretary General of Parliament, Vasileios Bagiokos, was present, as well as a large number of hospital employees.