Amid derelict stadiums dating from the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the volunteer-staffed social pharmacy of Hellinikon has handed out free medicine to hundreds of poverty-stricken patients, keeping some of them out of death's reach."My wife and I have been unemployed for over two years. We need about 150 euros for medicine every month," says Assimakopoulos, a former baker.
"Only 11 per cent of Greeks can currently afford private insurance giving full health coverage," says Grigoris Sarafianos, head of the association of private Greek health clinics. To avoid a long wait - especially in an emergency - many are forced to seek private healthcare, regardless of the cost. There are currently over 120 private clinics in the country.When Aspasia Apostolou's son was 11 years old and finishing Greek public primary school, his class teacher did something unexpected.
A recent study by the London School of Economics found 75 per cent of Greek crisis emigrants hold university degrees. "At our old school, the children usually come home early. So many school hours are lost because of teacher shortages during the year," she says.Between 2011 and 2014, the state cut education wages and expenses by 24 per cent, the OECD study said.