On Tuesday 25 June 2024, the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Giannis Kefalogiannis, attended the inauguration ceremony of the Nursing Unit of the 251st Air Force General Hospital Psychiatric Clinic. There, he was greeted by the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Houpis, the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, and the Director of the Hospital, Air Force Brigadier General (MD) Konstantinos Siafakas.
A speech by Ms. Ioanna Martinou, the President of the “Athina I. Martinou” Foundation took place within the framework of the ceremony, as well as a presentation by Air Force Colonel (MD) Polyxeni Vasilopoulou, regarding the Psychiatric Nursing Unit .
The “Athina I. Martinou” Foundation made a donation to the 251st Air Force General Hospital in order to renovate its facilities and procure equipment for the Psychiatric Clinic. The aim was the improvement of the services offered by the clinic.
The Psychiatric Clinic began its function and providing mental health services in 1976. It works on a clinical, educational and scientific level. It is estimated that on an annual basis, an average of 8000 people benefit from its services. It works on a 24-hour basis and its specialised personnel consists of psychiatry specialists, residents of psychiatry, psychologists, trainee psychologists, speech therapists, and nursing personnel. Its mission is to provide a high level of treatment, which can be observed through the experiences of patients and the security they feel, as well as through the predictive capabilities and the results produced by the Clinic’s personnel. At the same time, the Clinic aims at producing new knowledge and data through constant research and training, which will improve the quality of life of patients and the provided services.
Mr. Kefalogiannis thanked the “Athina I. Martinou” Foundation for its donation, pointing out that through that contribution, the people who suffer from mental health issues and are hospitalised in the 251st Air Force General Hospital obtained excellent and modern hospitalising facilities, in which the medical personnel of the Hellenic Air Force will be able to provide them with the best and most targeted services possible. At the same time, he expressed the gratitude of the political leadership of the country towards the medical, nursing, and ancillary personnel of the 251st Air Force General Hospital for their daily superhuman work and for their enormous contribution to society. He also underlined that the Ministry of National Defence will provide assistance in the implementation of similar actions and co-operations, so that an even more significant contribution to society can be achieved and the Armed Forces can develop their capabilities.
Among other things, the Deputy Minister of National Defence stated the following in his address:
“It is a great honour and pleasure for me to be here today, in the inauguration of the Psychiatric Clinic of the 251st Air Force General Hospital.
It is a fact that the Armed Forces approach people in medical need holistically. Apart from curing physical symptoms, they show particular care for the mental, emotional, and social state of patients. Within this framework, they constantly improve the ability of patients to enjoy life and create a balance between doing activities and attempting to better themselves, by having their psychological fortification as the utmost goal.
In this manner, and by following the principles of the World Health Organisation and traditional Greek philosophy, Psychiatric Clinics and Mental Health Facilities of the Armed Forces can contribute to the cure and prevention of mental health issues and to achieve complete physical, mental, and social well-being. It was Thales, after all, who said that a happy person is one that “Has a healthy body, a resourceful mind, and a docile nature”.
Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff,
I would like to congratulate you for your initiatives and I would like to encourage you to be innovative, flexible, and seek out for co-operations with institutions both within and outside of Greece. And I would like to assure you that we will be alongside you on this journey. Follow the scientific developments, be informed and arm yourselves with modern technological advancements from all the areas of interest of the Armed Forces. Listen to the needs not only of the Armed Forces personnel, but of all Greek citizens. What characterises the Armed Forces is the constant development, modernisation, updated knowledge, skill improvement, and empathy for our fellow people.
The Psychiatric Clinics of the 251st Air Force General Hospital has accumulated experience and knowledge and has embraced the mentally vulnerable, working methodically to restore their mental balance against all forms of segregation and prejudice.
The “Athina I. Martinou” Foundation is also at the service of the people and the environment, and has been operating on various fields since its foundation. That has been achieved through humanitarian donations, breathing new life and giving a boost to Greek society.
Dear Ms. President, Martinou,
We would like to express our warmest thanks for your contribution to the sensitive field of mental health. Thanks to your contribution, the people who are examined or hospitalised in the 251st Air Force General Hospital, now have excellent and modern nursing facilities, in which the personnel of the Hellenic Air Force can provide them with the best and most targeted services.
You are a source of inspiration for everyone and an example to look up to, because your vision for a “selfless contribution with the goal of common good” is coming to life here, in the 251st Air Force General Hospital, motivating us to seek for additional potential co-operations for the modernisation of the Armed Forces.
Today, the 251st Air Force General Hospital is taking a pledge before us all. That is to support the patients of the Psychiatric Clinic and utilise the means provided to it with respect and logic, while simultaneously continuing its great tradition, when it comes to providing high quality nursing care to those in need.
Closing, I would like to say a big “thank you” and to also express the gratitude of the political leadership towards the medical, nursing and ancillary personnel of the 251st Air Force General Hospital regarding their superhuman work and its great contribution to society. A contribution not only to the personnel of the Hellenic Air Force, but also to a great part of Greek society. The charming comments of all those who have received health services by the 251st Air Force General Hospital and its personnel are unwavering proof of its excellent function.
Finally, I would like to express my wish that today’s inauguration ceremony will be the gateway to more similar actions, co-operations, and events in the future, which will have a positive impact on society and the Armed Forces.