Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said yesterday (April 2) that the government will boost public health care in Greece by hiring 4,500 specialized staff – 700 of whom will be posted to islands and other parts of the country in need of doctors and nurses – and will abolish the compulsory €5-euro public hospital visit fee. Speaking at the Health Ministry, the premier also said that the government plans to make improvements to intensive-care units and ambulance services. 

"We want to turn the health sector … into a fundamental right for every resident of this country and we commit to do so at any cost," Tsipras said. He also said that savings in the health sector would come from combating corruption. The government’s plans include integrating the sector’s electronic systems, which could lead to saving of as much as 10% in its healthcare budget.