From cradle of European civilization to grave austerity: does Greece face a creeping health disaster?

While the global financial crisis started on the American continent, Greece has felt the biggest shock. As a result of government-imposed austerity measures following the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding,* population health and the health sector have been impacted. This adds a burden to the national health system (NHS), already facing compromised efficiency and effectiveness. Cuts in health and social protection budgets are an additional exacerbation. These events have precipitated serious discussion, variable opinions, and related activity, but there is limited research on the public health impact of austerity. In 2011, I suggested that the Memorandum could be damaging to health and that there is a creeping health disaster while Kentikelenis referred to the omens of disaster. If austerity was tested like a medication in a clinical trial, it would have been stopped long ago, given its deadly side effects, according to Stuckler and Basu. According to Blyth, austerity is a dangerous idea. In terms of the Utstein template, austerity is designated a health hazard, which can be exacerbated when national governance is weak. The outcome is a creeping disaster of uncertain dynamics.y Damage to health is increasing and the ‘‘evidence of harm’’ is real. Compelling evidence comes from a recent reputable study related to suicide, which furthers information on depression data. Work relating to forest fires in Greece provides insight into disaster-related stress and resilience of the population, as well as people’s distrust of Greek institutions. Recent polls indicate an overwhelming distrust of politicians. Evidence of a creeping disaster includes psychological distress, non-specific physiological illness, self-rated health changes, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts, as well as concerns for increased child abuse, adverse birth outcomes, and heart disease. Unemployment, a widely recognized driver of suicide and poverty, may reach 30% in 2014, reaching 65% for youth. Infant mortality has increased by 30%-40% from 2004-2012; from approximately 3-4/1,000 live births to 4-5/1,000 live births. Life expectancy may diminish by an estimated 4-5 years between 2008-2018. In the health sector, daily patient workflow is disrupted, scheduled patients may be sent home, and care seeking could be delayed. With respect to chronic disease, patients are finding difficulties with acquisition and payment for needed medications. With respect to transmissible disease, infection dynamics are changing, as evidenced by increased mortality of influenza, emergence and spread of the West Nile virus, appearance of clusters of non-imported malaria, and an outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among youth who inject drugs at lower ages. On a personal note, around the clock visits to hospitals provide anecdotal insights into many of the organizational limits of the Greek NHS, as well as to the heroic efforts of its Conflicts of interest: None