The lines outside the state Social Security Organization (IKA) in the south Athens district of Kallithea of beneficiaries queing up to have their health books stamped are dozens of meters long. The insured wait just to get a coveted priority ticket so that they can wait some more for their number to come up inside. The situation is overwhelming for the understaffed employees, who are not only overworked but also have to deal with squabbles, as tensions run high.

The situation is commonplace at the particular center following mergers imposed in recent years that now require those insured at the southern Athens regions of Alimos, Moschatos, Nea Smyrni and Palaio Faliro to head to Kallithea.

On its part, Greece’s largest health and pension reiterated over every media outlet willing to listen that it’s “unnecessary for the beneficiaries to head to a branch in order to stamp health books, as this can be done electronically over the Internet.” Most senior citizens, however, either have no access to online services or don’t really do the “cyber thing” — regardless of whether the “stamping”, i.e. validation, is really necessary when all the organization’s records are stored in easily accessed data bases.