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Child Healthcare Crisis in Greece

Alarming Data Shows 1 in 10 Attica Children Suffered Health Poverty

A stark report released by the Centre of Planning and Economic Research (KEPE) to coincide with World Health Day reveals significant challenges in child healthcare access in Greece, as reported by the Efimerida ton Sintakton

The study highlights that approximately 10% of children in the Attica region experienced "health poverty" – a lack of consistent access to free, high-quality healthcare services—from 2018 to 2023. KEPE's announcement presented these concerning statistics and proposed solutions, framing the issue as crucial for addressing broader demographic and social security challenges.

World Health Day, celebrated annually on April 7th, this year carried the theme "Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures," emphasizing maternal and child health as foundational for thriving societies. KEPE's findings underscore the gap between this ideal and the reality for many children in Greece, despite international commitments like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 24) and UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which advocate for universal health coverage.

The KEPE study, detailed in its "Economic Developments" journal, identified specific municipalities within Attica facing higher rates of child health poverty. Nationally, the situation also presents challenges for vulnerable groups. Between 2022 and 2024, roughly 1 in 16 children from large families (four or more children) and 1 in 18 children in single-mother households faced health poverty. 

Similarly, 1 in 19 children with migrant or refugee backgrounds experienced difficulties accessing necessary healthcare. Geographic disparities were also noted, with about 1 in 17 children in mountainous, rural, and island areas facing health poverty in the 2023-2024 school year. The regions of South Aegean, Thessaly, Ionian Islands, and West Macedonia were identified as having higher concentrations of affected children.

KEPE underscores that health poverty often exacerbates other forms of deprivation. However, the research center also sees hope; addressing child health poverty could be a cornerstone for tackling Greece's demographic decline and social insurance system pressures, offering intergenerational benefits and a brighter future.

Lingering Shadows of the Economic Crisis

The concerning figures emerge against Greece's severe socioeconomic crisis that dominated the 2010s. Driven by the sovereign debt crisis, the country implemented harsh austerity measures, leading to deep cuts in public spending, including significant reductions in the healthcare budget.

Hospitals faced staff shortages, resource limitations, and increased patient costs. This period saw a sharp rise in poverty and unemployment, pushing many families into vulnerability. 

The health poverty observed among children today, particularly in specific regions and among disadvantaged groups, can be seen as a painful legacy of that era, reflecting the long-term impact of austerity on the accessibility and quality of essential public services for the nation's youngest and most vulnerable citizens.

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