On Wednesday, 9 October 2024, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Giannis Kefalogiannis visited the Medically Assisted Reproduction Unit of the Naval Hospital of Athens, accompanied by the Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, Ms. Sofia Zacharaki.
Mr. Kefalogiannis was briefed on the Unit’s structure, staffing, mission, and activities and discussed with the cadre, congratulating the medical and administrative personnel for their noble social work.
The Minister was also accompanied by the Director of the Hellenic Navy General Staff Medical Directorate, Rear Admiral (MD) Antonios Papageorgiou HN, the Director of the Naval Hospital of Athens, Commodore (MD) Sotirios Moraitis HN, and the Director of the Medically Assisted Reproduction Unit, Captain (MD) Nikolaos Petrogiannis HN.
After the visit, the Deputy Minister of National Defence made the following statement:
“It is a great pleasure to visit once again the Medically Assisted Reproduction Unit of the Naval Hospital of Athens with the Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Sofia Zacharaki. A model Joint Unit that gives joy to many couples in their effort to become parents.
Fully equipped, with specially selected and specialised scientific and administrative personnel, employing state-of-the-art technology and conditions control systems, it is fully operational and provides comprehensive services for dealing with infertility. Except for the personnel of the three Services of the Armed Forces and the Security Forces, beneficiaries also include residents in 24 remote islands of our country.
We are very proud and touched by the fact that, during the past few years, this Unit has helped dozens of couples from remote islands to have a child.
The Ministry of National Defence will continue to help, proving with actions that the Armed Forces have the values, the knowledge, and the potential to contribute to the mitigation of the complex issue of birth rate decline, within the framework of the National Action Plan for the Demographic Crisis.
I would like to kindly congratulate everyone who contributes every day to the effective operation of this Unit.
At the same time, I would like to kindly thank my good friend and Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Sofia Zacharaki for a particularly fruitful cooperation, which is based on initiatives to support the families and members of the Armed Forces and deal with the demographic crisis.
The Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Ms. Sofia Zacharaki stated:
“I visited today with the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Giannis Kefalogiannis the Medically Assisted Reproduction Unit of the Naval Hospital of Athens.
A modern high technology Unit that provides comprehensive services for dealing with infertility to beneficiaries of the Armed and Security Forces since March 2017.
I would like to congratulate the personnel of this public Unit that brings joy and hope to the couples who decide to use medically assisted reproduction. During a period of great pressure and anxiety, the warm and professional behaviour of the personnel comforts couples at every step of the way.
It is very important that the Unit is also available to residents in 24 remote islands of our country with many babies born this way. Their effort is touching and motivating.
I would like to thank the Deputy Minister of National Defence Giannis Kefalogiannis for the continuous and excellent cooperation to promote family support policies for Armed Forces members, as well as dealing with the demographic crisis in every region of our country. A national battle we all fight together!
Well done to the leadership and the personnel for the professionalism and empathy with which the public health system handles beneficiaries”.