On 15 December 2011, an event entitled ‘Public health actions at the national level: co-operation with the municipality of Athens for the historical center’ was held by the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity at Zappeion Hall. The event was moderated by Mr A. Dimopoulos, General Secretary of Public Health, Mr G. Katrivanos, General Secretary for Welfare, and Mr K. Patavouka, General Secretary of Sports. The discussions focused on a whole range of problems and health care needs of vulnerable populations in the center of Athens, including public health interventions in the historical center through a special program supported by mobile medical units and operated by the Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention (HCDCP). The welfare activities of the National Center for Social Solidarity (EKKA) and the role of non-governmental organizations (NGO) were also discussed. Numerous prominent speakers from the scientific community of Greece covered extensively the challenges of public health and offered proposals for action. In the second part of the event a round of speeches entitled ‘Public health and financial crisis’ was held and several issues were discussed, such as exercise for people living in the center of Athens, proposed actions to develop a national nutrition policy, reformations in the field of transplantation and smoking. HCDCP’s President, Professor T. Kourea-Kremastinou, delivered a speech on ‘Actions for communicable diseases in modern Greece’.
The event attendees included the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr T. Pagkalos, the Minster of Health and Social Solidarity, Mr A. Loverdos, the Deputy Ministers of Health, Mr M. Bolaris and Mr M. Timosidis, and the Mayor of Athens, Mr G. Kaminis.