Public health and blood shortages in Greece

Greece is facing critical blood shortages that are impacting patient care, particularly for those with thalassemia and sickle cell disease. The Hellenic Thalassemia Federation (EOTHA) has reported that hospitals, including Nikaia General, Laiko, and the University Hospital of Rio, have been forced to postpone scheduled transfusions or provide reduced quantities. At Nikaia General, approximately 15 patients have faced delays for a week, while Laiko and Rio report 19 and 20 affected patients, respectively. Similar delays have been noted in Rhodes and Mytilene. At Agia Sophia Children’s Hospital, patients are receiving only the first required unit of blood and must secure their own donors for subsequent units.

Medical experts warn that for patients requiring regular transfusions, delays can lead to rapid drops in hematocrit, causing exhaustion and risks such as heart failure or organ damage. These shortages are attributed to the summer season, tourism, and West Nile virus precautions. In response, health authorities have launched donation drives. In Athens, the National Blood Center (EKEA) organized a three-day event at the Syntagma Metro, and in Lamia, the Lamia General Hospital has scheduled eight community-based donation actions for September.

In a broader public health context, a study titled ‘Policy Roadmaps for Acting Early on Non-Communicable Diseases: Greece’ indicates that five major diseases—cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and chronic kidney disease—account for 85% of the country’s disease burden. The report highlights structural weaknesses in the National Health System (ESY), noting that while life expectancy is 80.8 years, the quality of life in later years lags behind the EU average, with only 3.1% of healthcare spending allocated to prevention.