More than 9,000 children will benefit annually after a massive grant from a Greek Australian organization funded critical upgrades at a hospital in northern Greece.
Following a $48,000 grant from The Hellenic Initiative Australia, the General Hospital of Ioannina “G. Hatzikosta” opened its new and improved Pediatric Department on Monday.
The grant allowed the hospital to purchase vital specialist medical equipment for its pediatric and neonatal clinics — a privilege it had also granted to the General Hospital of Kastoria, which on September 7 opened its own upgraded pediatric department.
Both of the regional hospitals received the grant through Pediatric Trauma Care (Pedtrauma), an organization that maps and prioritizes needs of Greek hospitals in order to provide urgent care access to seriously injured children.
THI Australia President Nicholas Pappas said his organization is proud to support a program that will make a positive impact in children’s lives.
“[Pedtrauma] is equipping hospitals throughout Greece with the facilities to provide critical health care to children,” Pappas said. “Thousands of children who pass through the hospitals in Ioannina and Kastoria every year will have access to these necessary facilities and lifesaving care.”
Pedtrauma President Natasha Clive-Vrecossis called it “very moving” to see Australia’s Greek community providing aid in Greece’s time of dire need.
“We are delighted that The Hellenic Initiative Australia is supporting our organization and has assisted with these two regional hospitals in critical need,” Clive-Vrecossis said.
Ioannina’s hospital treats patients in the regions of Epirus, Western Macedonia, Thessaly, Western Greece and the Ionian islands.
Since 2010, Pedtrauma has upgraded and equipped 45 pediatric departments at 39 hospitals and health clinics throughout Greece. The organization also runs trauma prevention programs in schools and provides specialist pediatric trauma training for doctors.
Clive-Vrecossis said Pedtrauma continues to work through a growing waitlist of urgent requests from hospitals requiring specialized medical equipment to treat children.
“Our goal is to upgrade all the hospitals in Greece and on the islands so that all children are within a critical one-hour radius to get to a hospital with the right facilities.”
*****
Since you’re here… I have a small favor to ask.
More and more people than ever before are reading The Pappas Post and despite increasing costs to maintain the site and provide you with the quality content that you deserve, I will never “force” you to pay for our website or add a paywall. I believe in the democracy of the internet and want to keep this site and its enriching content free for everyone. But at the same time I’m asking those who frequent the site to chip in and help keep it both high quality— and free. We’ve implemented a “free-will” annual subscription for those who want to support our efforts. I guess it’s fair to call it a philotimo subscription… because you don’t have to do it but it’s really the right thing to do if you love the site and the content we publish. So if you like The Pappas Post and want to help, please consider becoming a “philotimo subscriber”. Click here to subscribe. If you’d rather make a one time donation, we will gladly accept any amount, with appreciation. Click here to donate any amount.