Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended the inauguration ceremony on Friday morning of the Penteli Children’s General Hospital, where extensive renovations were carried out to operating theaters, clinics, inpatient wards and laboratories, as part of a broader investment program to modernise the infrastructure of the National Health System.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis and Deputy Minister Marios Themistocleous, was given a tour by the Governor of the interconnected hospitals “Sismanogleio – Amalia Fleming” and Penteli Children’s Hospital, Zoe Rakopoulou, of the upgraded operating theatres and clinics. He also had the opportunity to speak with medical and nursing staff, as well as hospitalised children and their parents.

“You have completed an extremely demanding renovation, which has essentially transformed a worn-down hospital, one that had not seen significant interventions for many decades, into a new, state-of-the-art paediatric hospital,” the Prime Minister said in his speech at the inauguration ceremony.

As part of the project, which was implemented through a €4.5 million donation from the charitable foundation Kaizen Foundation, the hospital’s surrounding area was also redeveloped, including the creation of a playground. New equipment was acquired for the hospital care of children and infants, with provisions including toilets in every ward. Substantial fire safety upgrades were also carried out, including the installation of fire-resistant doors in the wards.

Referring to the wider upgrading projects taking place across all levels of the public health system, Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated: “More than 150 Health Centers have been fully funded and upgraded through the Recovery Fund, and more than 80 hospitals where very significant interventions have taken place, primarily in Emergency Departments.”

“In other words, we have fulfilled our pre-election commitment to carry out the largest building upgrade and intervention in the infrastructure of the National Health System since its establishment,” the Prime Minister continued, adding that there are now improved capabilities to better serve the needs of western areas of the capital. “I particularly note what Adonis said, regarding the need to create a paediatric facility in Western Athens. This is a long-standing request, spanning many decades, which we are now in a position to fulfil,” he said.

Regarding efforts to strengthen staffing within the NHS, Kyriakos Mitsotakis underlined: “We made bold and decisive interventions with the Minister. We gave NHS doctors the ability to provide medical services outside the National Health System, in a controlled and taxed manner, once they have fulfilled their obligations to the NHS, and we also brought doctors into the National Health System by providing the right incentives. The fact that we can now issue calls for recruitment and receive this level of response means that young doctors are willing to choose the National Health System to build their careers.”

Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis stated: “We are not talking about a simple renovation, but about a completely new hospital, with new wards, accessibility for people with disabilities, a new pharmacy, new laboratories, and a new surrounding area. To this major project by the Kaizen Foundation is added the hospital’s inclusion in an energy upgrade programme through the NSRF, which is starting immediately. In addition, using Recovery Fund resources, a new MRI scanner will be installed for the needs of children. In this way, we are building a truly new hospital. At the same time, just a few days ago the results of the recruitment process for permanent NHS doctor posts were announced. A total of six positions were advertised at Penteli Children’s Hospital, and all were filled, with a 100% success rate. And that is the message I want to leave today: it is not only the renovation of the building, but also the recruitment of medical and nursing staff.”

The Governor of the interconnected hospitals “Sismanogleio – Amalia Fleming” and Penteli Children’s Hospital, Zoe Rakopoulou, said: “Today marks a tangible contribution to upgrading the protection and care of children’s health, for the future of the country. Our hospital, with decades of history in offering services to children and families, is now entering a new developmental path. Today is a historic milestone. It marks the transition to a new era for public paediatric care. And of course, when the state, society and private initiative cooperate with a shared vision, they can create substantial and lasting projects with a collective impact.”

The President of Kaizen Foundation, Panos Konstantopoulos, said: “There are moments that vindicate the effort of many people. Today is one of them. It represents the largest donation to date. It is no coincidence that it took place in Greece, which was and remains our starting point. It is the largest renovation of the hospital in more than 80 years.”