NKUA: 20 years of ‘Attikon’ General University Hospital of Athens, 20 years of uninterrupted delivery of high-quality healthcare, training, and research services

On Wednesday, 20 December 2023, at the Great Hall of the Propylaea building, the NKUA’s School of Medicine hosted with great success an event to mark the 20^th anniversary of ‘Attikon’ General University Hospital of Athens. Gracing the event with their presence—among many others—were the Greek Alternate Minister of Health, Eirini Agapidaki, the Secretary General for Higher Education at the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports and Emeritus Professor of the University of Crete, Odysseus-Ioannis Zoras, the Secretary General for Health Services at the Hellenic Ministry of Health, Lilian-Venetia Vildiridi, and the former Rector of NKUA, former Caretaker Minister of Health and Social Solidarity, and Honorary Professor, Christos Kittas, whose contribution to ‘Attikon’ General University Hospital of Athens was undeniably great and lasting.

Professor Gerasimos Siasos, the Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, addressed the occasion. Then, the audience watched a short video about ‘Attikon’ General University Hospital of Athens and proceeded to attend the main part of the event, which included two sessions.

The first session, entitled ‘The Contribution of “Attikon” General University Hospital of Athens to the National Health System’, was presided over by the Rector of NKUA, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, and the Chair of the NKUA’s School of Medicine, Professor Nikolaos Arkadopoulos. Opening the session was the Manager of ‘Attikon’, Spyros Apostolopoulos, who reported on the activities concerning the University Hospital. Next, followed two speeches, one by Professor at the University of the Peloponnese, Kyriakos Souliotis, entitled ‘“Attikon” and Its Healthcare Services to the Community: Quantitative and Qualitative Data’, the other by Professor at the NKUA’s School of Medicine, Sotiris Tsiodras, entitled ‘The Role of “Attikon” in the COVID-19 Pandemic’. The first session ended with the President of the Central Board of Health (KESY) and Professor at the NKUA’s School of Medicine, Dimitrios Boumpas, presenting the educational, clinical, and research work of ‘Attikon’ General University Hospital of Athens.

The second session, entitled ‘The Role of “Attikon” General University Hospital of Athens in the National Health System’, was presided over by the NKUA’s Vice-Rector for Administrative Affairs and Student Welfare, Professor Efstathios Efstathopoulos, and the Dean of the NKUA’s School of Health Sciences, Professor Emmanouil Pikoulis. It was the Secretary General for Higher Education at the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports and Emeritus Professor of the University of Crete, Odysseus-Ioannis Zoras, who opened this session with a speech entitled ‘The View of the Ministry of Education’. Four more speeches followed, the first by a Member of the Administration Council of NKUA and Professor at its School of Law, Spyros Vlachopoulos, entitled ‘The Right to Training and Hospitalization in University Hospitals’, the second by a Member of the Board of Directors of Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), George Agouridis, entitled ‘The View of the Great Benefactors’, the third by the Director of the 2^nd Health District of Piraeus, Christos Roilos, entitled ‘The View of the Health District’, and the fourth by the Vice-President of the Central Board of Health and Professor at the NKUA’s School of Medicine, Anastasia Kotanidou, entitled ‘The View of the Central Board of Health’. The second session concluded with a speech by the Secretary General for Health Services at the Hellenic Ministry of Health, Lilian-Venetia Vildiridi, entitled ‘The View of the Ministry of Health’.

In his address, the Rector of NKUA, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, said the following:

‘It is with great honour and joy that I welcome you to tonight’s event for the 20^th anniversary of “Attikon”, the flagship of our University’s Hospitals.

Back in 2003, by decision of the late Minister of Health, Professor Konstantinos Stefanis, following a proposal from the Rector of NKUA, Professor Georgios Babiniotis, and the then Chair of the School of Medicine, Professor Christos Kittas, “Attikon” started operating as a University Hospital.

A historic decision indeed that changed the course of the NKUA’s School of Medicine, which, through acquiring “Attikon”, would henceforth have a cutting-edge hospital complete with University Departments and Laboratories covering all fields of Medical Science.

In the intervening 20 years “Attikon” has consistently provided first-rate healthcare services and quality training for undergraduate and postgraduate students in a state-of-the-art National Health System hospital that encompasses practically all medical specialties and boasts excellent building infrastructures and medical technical equipment.

“Attikon” currently has 23 fully operational University Hospital Departments, 30 Special Medical Units with a total capacity of 645 patient beds, and 8 University Laboratories.

After 20 years of operation, it proudly enjoys trust among the general public, and deservedly so, with over 300,000 patients receiving healthcare services every year. In addition, 40% of the cases it treats come from outside Attica, making the Hospital a reference centre for the whole country.

Its exemplary and dynamic operating model is the result of our University’s absolute commitment to quality, innovation, scientific research, ongoing education, and patient care.

As we celebrate “Attikon” Hospital’s 20^th anniversary, let us pause to acknowledge the contributions made by our highly qualified and specialized staff—the doctors, nurses, and administrative officers—, whose work determined the Hospital’s growth and productivity and led to an amazing feat: the turning of “Attikon” General University Hospital into a central pillar of our country’s National Health System.

On behalf of the NKUA’s University Authorities, I would like to congratulate our distinguished colleagues at the University Hospital Departments and Laboratories for all the clinical, educational, and research work they have conducted and continue to do for the benefit of Medical Science and our University. I wish you all the best in maintaining the same level of accomplishment, efficiency, and prestige!

Our objectives for the future are clear: to provide high-quality healthcare, to promote innovation in all fields, and to remain at the forefront of research, education, and treatment.

May we take the opportunity here to assure the audience that both the NKUA’s University Authorities and I personally support in every way and by any means possible the development of all University Hospital Departments and Laboratories, the promotion of scientific research, and the provision of high-level training to our scientists for the benefit of society at large.

In closing, I would like to emphasize that the Hellenic Ministry of Health has allocated 50 new professorships to “Attikon” University Hospital, which, together with the 10 professorships approved last year by the NKUA’s School of Medicine, represents the largest allocation of posts in recent decades.

We heartily thank the political leadership of the Hellenic Ministry of Health for allocating posts to the Medical Schools; this step will supply the National Health System with highly qualified medical personnel for many years to come.

Accordingly, the Hellenic Government’s decision, on the recommendation of the Minister of Health, to allocate 270 posts of University Hospital doctors to all University Hospital Departments in Greece will prove vital for the National Health System with multiple benefits for the whole country.

At this point, we cannot but acknowledge the crucial contribution of the University Hospital’s Administration, especially that of Spyros Apostolopoulos, the Manager of “Attikon”, who diligently and in excellent collaboration with NKUA and the Director of the 2^nd Health District of Piraeus, Christos Roilos, tackled all challenges of the last four years, and at the same time provided exemplary administration.

Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to our University’s great benefactors, namely Stavros Niarchos Foundation and Mr Athanasios Martinos, for their generous donations to “Attikon” University Hospital. Shortly, we will celebrate the opening of our country’s first Academic Cancer Centre, made possible by such enormous contributions.

We, the University Administration, along with the Chair of the NKUA’s School of Medicine, Professor Nikolaos Arkadopoulos, have remained consistent in our commitments. With the potential to become our country’s top hospital, “Attikon” is already moving into its next 20 years of operation’.