The handover ceremony of two fully equipped helicopters to EKAB, following a donation by the four systemic banks (Alpha Bank, Eurobank, National Bank and Piraeus Bank), took place on Monday.

This is a €2 million donation through which two modern Leonardo AW139 helicopters are made available to EKAB, fully equipped for air ambulance missions and staffed with specialized crews.

The helicopters will operate under EKAB’s operational coordination, based in the Dodecanese, as stated Monday morning by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, who submitted the relevant request, with the Hellenic Bank Association taking over — representing the four donating banks — the coordination and implementation of the donation, in accordance with the applicable institutional framework.

The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Health Marios Themistokleous, the Secretary General for Health Services Lillian Venetia Vildiridi, the President of EKAB Giorgos Charalambous, the CEOs of Alpha Bank Vassilis Psaltis, Eurobank Fokion Karavias, Piraeus Bank Christos Megalou, the Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of Greece Gikas Hardouvelis, and the Acting General Director of the Hellenic Bank Association (HBA) Charoula Apalagaki.

Donation of two fully equipped helicopters to EKAB by the four systemic banks

In his statement after the handover ceremony, Adonis Georgiadis said:
“The strengthening of EKAB’s air ambulance fleet with two fully equipped helicopters is a particularly important addition to the National Health System and, above all, to the safety of citizens and visitors of our country. During the summer period, when needs increase significantly, the ability for immediate and safe transport of critically ill patients can prove decisive for saving human lives. I would like to warmly thank the four systemic banks Alpha Bank, Eurobank, National Bank of Greece and Piraeus Bank for this important donation to the NHS. This initiative demonstrates in practice that when the public and private sectors cooperate with a common purpose, they can offer substantial solutions that strengthen public health and save lives. At the Ministry of Health we continue consistently to strengthen EKAB, investing in modern means, equipment and human resources, so that every citizen, in every corner of Greece, has access to immediate and high-quality emergency pre-hospital care. This is our commitment and we implement it daily with concrete actions.”

The Deputy Minister of Health Marios Themistokleous stated:
“An accessible National Health System is one that can provide care even in the most remote and hard-to-reach areas for every citizen. Today we are strengthening EKAB in a critical sector for a country like Greece, an island nation, that of air medical transport. With two new helicopters, two new lifelines for the residents of the islands and remote areas, for every citizen who needs access to hospital care. The thousands of air transfers carried out each year prove its decisive role. I would like to warmly thank the Hellenic Bank Association for its important contribution, as well as the EKAB staff and the Hellenic Air Force who are daily united in the most critical battle: the protection of human life. For us at the Ministry of Health, there are no distant citizens. In every corner of our country, for whoever needs it, EKAB will be there: to care, to protect, to save.”

The Chairman of the Board of the Hellenic Bank Association Giorgos Zanias, representing the four donating banks, stated:
“The protection of human life is of the highest priority. With this new donation, the four systemic banks join forces to strengthen the work of the Ministry of Health and EKAB and to contribute substantially to its operational readiness, especially in areas where time is critical for saving a life. This initiative once again confirms the banks’ commitment to actions with a strong social footprint. Every time the public and private sectors cooperate with a common goal, they can achieve substantial results for the benefit of all citizens.”