A serious incident occurred at the University Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNI), Crete’s largest public hospital, when a burst water pipe led to part of the ceiling collapsing in a cardiology ward early Monday morning. Patients and staff were put at risk as water and pieces of plasterboard fell directly onto a patient’s bed, injuring him on the head. He is expected to undergo a CT scan to determine the extent of his injuries.
The ward, which hosts several patients, was flooded during the incident.
The president of the PAGNI employees’ union, Dimitris Vrysalis, released a photo of the collapse, describing it as evidence of the unsafe state of hospital infrastructure. He argued that the episode highlights the long-standing consequences of underfunding and understaffing in technical services, despite government announcements celebrating hospital “renovations.”
In his statement, Vrysalis stressed that the union had repeatedly warned about aging facilities, insufficient maintenance, and staff shortages. He accused authorities of prioritizing image over substance, pointing to “festive inaugurations” funded by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility while hospital staff and patients face daily risks.
He noted that the technical department at PAGNI has just 25 permanent staff members remaining, compared with 89 positions foreseen in its organizational chart. Another 25 contract workers and external contractors are left to cover the needs of a major hospital.
The employees’ union is demanding:
- Immediate staffing of the technical department with permanent personnel.
- Increased state funding to meet the hospital’s needs.
The incident adds to a series of similar cases in public buildings that remain poorly maintained, raising concerns over safety for both workers and citizens.
