Inauguration of a Donation by the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation for setting up a High Dependency Unit & upgrading the medical equipment of the Emergency Department & Intensive Care Unit B of ''KAT'' Attica General Hospital.

On Wednesday 26 February 2020, the new High Dependency Unit and medical equipment of the Emergency Department of Intensive Care Unit B at ''KAT'' Attica General Hospital, a project implemented following a donation of € 1,300,000 from the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, were inaugurated in the presence of the Regional Governor of Attica, Mr George Patoulis. This donation forms part of the programme for the upgrading of the National Health System, with a total budget of €5,000,000, designed and implemented by the Foundation in memory of those who lost their lives in the devastating fires in Mati, Attica, in July 2018.

In particular, the donation consists in the supply and installation of the following equipment in the Hospital’s respective Departments and Units of the Hospital:

In the Emergency Department:

• 2 fixed digital radiography systems in Wards A and B of the Radiology Department
• 1 mobile radiography system
• 1 ultrasonography system
• 2 automatic print recording systems
• 10 diagnostic stations
• 1 patient management system with digital features, as well as funding for a digital upgrade of the existing radiography system and for remodeling Ward C of the Radiology Department, with a view to making better use of the ED premises and accommodating more patients.

In the Intensive Care Unit B:

• 4 ICU ventilators
• 1 videolaryngoscope
• 1 ultrasound system

 In the High Dependency Unit:

• 7 HDU inpatient beds
• 9 HDU ventilators
• 8 monitors with a central monitoring station and portable monitors
• 1 portable ventilator
• 1 biphasic defibrillator with pacemaker
• 1 12-channel electrocardiograph
• 1 ultrasound scanner for general radiology and cardiology
• 4 hospital trolleys
• 7 light fixtures for wall mounted rail lighting
• 1 videolaryngoscope

Furthermore, within the framework of this programme, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation has already taken action, among other things to implement the following donations:

• A grant for the design and implementation of the remodeling, renovation and upgrading of the Emergency Department at ''G. Genimmatas'' Athens General Hospital, a project expected to be delivered to the Greek State in the course of 2021.
• A grant for upgrading the medical equipment of the Intensive Care Unit of the Latsio Burn Centre and the Emergency Department at ''Thriassio'' General Hospital of Eleusis, a project to be completed within the first half of 2020, and
• A grant for the procurement of equipment for the operation of fixed rooms and mobile blood collection units of the Greek National Blood Donation Centre (Ε.ΚΕ.Α.), a project expected to be completed in the course of 2020.

In his address to the attendees, Mr Ioannis Iliopoulos, Director of ''KAT'' Attica General Hospital, stressed the importance of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation donation both for the general operation of the Hospital and for the operation of its individual Departments. In particular, he stated that the installation of new radiography systems in the Emergency Department will result in high x-ray image quality, patients being exposed to reduced radiation levels, examination time being reduced by 30% with a consequent reduction in patient waiting time, and it will also allow for the digital management of medical images and their rapid dispatch to diagnostic stations without printing, overall saving €270,000 per year.

As regards ICU B, the Director underlined the high benefits of installing new equipment, namely high-quality medical imaging within the ICU, respiratory support and facilitation of patient intubation as well as imaging support for multi-trauma and critically ill patients.

Finally, the Director stated that the setting up of a High Dependency Unit with a capacity of 7 beds will contribute to the provision of high-quality health and hospitalisation services to patients in need of continuous monitoring and a greater availability of ICU beds. The Director concluded his address by extending thanks to the Minister of Health, Mr Vassilis Kikilias,

''who has been working tirelessly to achieve a complete reform of the health system, including the opening of the unit in question, the operation of which had been stagnating since September 2019, assisted by the Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Kontozamanis, the Secretaries General of the Ministry of Health and the 1st Health Region of Attica’ and ‘the Latsis Public Benefit Foundation for its targeted donation that brought a smile on the faces of both the Hospital’s staff, whose constant desire to serve is now supported, and to citizens, who can now receive high-quality medical services, with greater accuracy in diagnosis, in less time and with less radiation'',

In her address, Ms Eva Lianou, General Manager at John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, stated that:

''it is our national duty to offer any support possible to upgrade the infrastructure and equipment of KAT Attica General Hospital. And above all, it is a moral duty to its employees; to the hospital’s medical, nursing, administrative and technical staff, who daily ensure, under difficult – even adverse – conditions, ensure that our fellow citizens are provided with appropriate health services, with respect for human dignity. The hospital’s employees are behind and above every donation and every grant; it is them who keep the National Health System alive, with their persistence and professionalism. We hope that the Foundation’s donation will, at least to some extent, make their difficult work somewhat easier, as a token of gratitude for their dedication to public healthcare''. 

Note to editors:

The donation to KAT Attica General Hospital was implemented as part of the programme for the upgrading of the National Health System, with a total budget of € 5.000.000.000, designed and implemented by John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation in memory of those who lost their lives in Mati, Attica, in July 2018.

The Foundation’s Executive Board decided to direct this amount to covering immediate needs in the health sector related to emergency management, taking into account that upgrading healthcare services in response to a disaster such as the wildfires of July 2018 is clearly appropriate, given that the health sector is an established critical link in the chain of civil protection and emergency management in any given situation.

In particular, following a thorough examination of the situation and an assessment and prioritisation of major needs, and after meetings were held between Foundation officers and the heads of the competent Health Regions of Attica, Governors of Attica’s Hospitals, the Foundation has already taken action, in partnership with representatives of the competent national authorities, to implement the following donations – in addition to the above donation for the upgrading of the medical equipment of the ED and ICU B, along with the setting up of a HDU at KAT Attica General Hospital:

• A grant for the design and implementation of the project for the rearrangement, renovation and upgrading of the Emergency Department of the Athens General Hospital "G. Gennimatas", a project that is currently in the process of completing the required technical studies and is expected to be delivered to the Greek State within 2021. A grant for the design and implementation of the remodeling, renovation and upgrading of the Emergency Department at ''G. Genimmatas'' Athens General Hospital, a project currently at the stage of completion of the necessary technical studies and expected to be delivered to the Greek State in the course of 2021.
• A grant for upgrading the medical equipment of the Intensive Care Unit of the Latsio Burn Centre and the Emergency Department at ''Thriassio'' General Hospital of Eleusis, a project to be completed and delivered within the first half of 2020’; and
• A grant for the procurement of equipment for the operation of fixed rooms and mobile blood collection units of the Greek National Blood Donation Centre (Ε.ΚΕ.Α.). In particular, in December 2018, the new Western Sector Fixed Blood Collection Room was inaugurated in Egaleo, the first of four fixed rooms planned to open soon in different locations around Attica. These are specially designed rooms where volunteer blood donors will be able to donate blood outside hospitals, under the supervision of specialised staff. In addition, a donation to E.KE.A. has already taken place, namely of four passenger vehicles with the necessary equipment, to be used as mobile blood collection units.

Along with these donations, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation designed and implemented actions to provide immediate support to our fellow humans and help restore the infrastructure affected by the 2018 wildfires.

In particular:

• Starting in late 2018 and up until the end of February 2020, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation has funded the provision of personalised medical assistance to the burn victims of the July 2018 wildfires, in collaboration with the 1st Health Region of Attica and ‘SEKMA’, the Coordinating Committee for Residents of Mati, Attica. It should be noted that action has been taken to ensure that the supply of materials etc. needed to provide treatment and rehabilitation to burn victims will be fully covered by the Greek National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY).
• Moreover, 2018 marked the completion of the Foundation’s donation for the reconstruction of buildings and the restoration of damage caused by the fires at the Hellenic Army General Staff Rehabilitation Centre of Agios Andreas, which is a holiday centre for members of the Army as well as the permanent residence of 80 military officers. The centre sustained significant material damage, while military personnel made every effort to protect the residents and evacuate the site safely, as well as to protect civilians trapped by the fire in the Mati area.

The Foundation’s aim is for these interventions to contribute in the medium to long term to the preparedness for, prevention of and timely response to similar emergencies.

Detailed updates on the progress of implementation of the above donations will be given on the Foundation’s website and social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn).