At least twenty-one members of the Greek Parliament have expressed their will to work on a voluntary basis for Greece’s National Health Service (NHS), known in Greece as ”ESY” to help fight the ravaging second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

It all began earlier this week when George Lambroulis, MP for the Greek Communist Party and Vice-President of the Parliament asked the Speaker of the House to excuse him from his vice-presidential duties to go and volunteer in a hospital.

Since then, four MPs from the ruling New Democracy party, ten from the main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance party, five from the KINAL party, one from the Communist party, and another one from the Greek Solution party have asked to go and help hospitals either in their own constituencies or anywhere the Ministry of Health sees fit.

During a news briefing of the Ministry on Friday, Deputy Health Minister Vassilis Kontozamanis said that Greek members of Parliament who wish to offer their services as doctors in fighting the coronavirus pandemic will have to sign a contract with the NHS, work a full-time schedule and face the same liabilities as other NHS staff.

Kontozamanis said the Health Ministry sent a letter to MPs who have expressed a wish to return to the medical field temporarily describing the process. He added that they should notify Parliament if they have not already done so about abstaining from their duties there.

(With information from AMNA)

Source: http://greece.greekreporter.com/category/greek-news/tourism/