Public happier with state health service, survey finds

A recent survey by the Thessaloniki Medical Association has pointed to a significant increase in public satisfaction with the National Health Service (ESY) and the way it responded to the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

The survey, which was carried out from June 5 to 10 on a sample of 1,137 residents from the northern city, determined that the level of satisfaction with ESY basically doubled from just 12.3 percent in June last year to 27.5 percent last month. Correspondingly, the rate of those dissatisfied with state health services dropped from 66.5 percent to 38.1 percent over the same period.

A similar study carried out by the Athens Medical Association in May on a sample of 1,000 people found that nearly half (47 percent) of respondents said their opinion of ESY had improved following the onset of the pandemic. Only 5 percent reported a worse outlook.