Česky
He is touched by the dedication of the medical staff. Sotirios Zavalianis, the owner of the Beroun and Horovice hospitals, says that thanks to the cohesion of the doctors and nurses, his Central Bohemian medical facilities are managing to cope with the onslaught of patients who have to be hospitalised with covid-19. But if the infection doubles, I'm worried about overwhelming the whole system. November will decide what course we will take," says Sotirios Zavalianis in an interview with EuroZprávy.cz.
He was surprised at how paediatricians, urologists or orthopaedic surgeons reduced their work and immediately rushed to help colleagues in the covida wards. "Nobody had to force them and they immediately dismantled their services. Even though they are not experts in fighting infection, they are a huge help. Some tasks are the same for all disciplines, such as giving an infusion," says Zavalianis, who arrived in the former Czechoslovakia in 1984 and, with a small break, still lives here today.
The founder and owner of AKESO holding a.s., whose portfolio includes the Multiscan Pardubice Oncology and Radiology Centre and the Beroun and Hořovice hospitals, is particularly worried about infecting healthcare workers. That is why the boss and the management turned to Professor Roman Prymula, at a time when he was not yet Minister of Health. "He told us how to isolate patients, what to do to prevent staff from becoming infected and how to test them. These are, to put it bluntly, a thousand small measures, but they lead to doctors and nurses working in a safe environment. And I have to say that the professor's advice is working, because the staff who are sick are not infected in our health facilities, but outside," Zavalianis says.
The 2019 Central Bohemian Entrepreneur of the Year does not agree that Health Minister Roman Prymula should be dismissed right now, because of his affair when he visited a restaurant in Prague's Vyšehrad with Jaroslav Faltýnek and others. He did so at a time when all other businesses have to keep their interiors closed, thanks to a government decree he has just helped to issue. "It's a sad story. The moment the news of his visit broke, we were specifically addressing the issue of having enough refrigeration equipment that we were ordering if there was a spike in deaths. And I'm really not in the mood at this time to address whether or not the professor was at fault. To change the minister at a time when the situation is getting worse every day in terms of the number of infected people is, in my opinion, foolish." According to the health business expert, we are now playing for every second and he considers a shuffle in the ministerial chair a waste of time. "A day will pass before the new minister finds out where the toilet is in the building. Adapting to a new environment and people simply takes a lot of time," the head of the country's second largest health firm is clear.
In an interview with EuroZprávy.cz, Sotirios Zavalianis expressed his concern that we should not focus only on covidem-19 patients. "But I have noticed that the length of stay of those who are hospitalised is getting longer, more patients are coming in, and so I am worried about overwhelming the capacity of the overall system. I am mainly referring to patients who are suffering from completely different diseases than covid-19 and thus there will be no bed left for them. I am worried that we will not concentrate on coronavirus patients in general and end up with an increasing number of deaths from, for example, cancer or heart attacks, because there will be no one to look after them."
The owner of the hospitals in Horovice and Beroun, which have rehabilitation status but also hospitalise patients with covid-19, points out that it is impossible for his Central Bohemian facilities to refuse to treat anyone. "Our teams are ready to provide urgent care to those suffering from health problems other than coronavirus. But I am talking about the situation that prevails now. If the coronavirus crisis doubles in severity, then I cannot guarantee anything. But for now, our region, with its 100,000 patients, is functioning and coping," points out Sotirios Zavalianis, a Greek, who believes that the current second wave is due to a summer lapse in vigilance on the part of all of us.
HE SEES IT AS FOOLISH TO CALL OFF THE PRYMULE NOW
Mr Zavalianis, what is currently most worrying about the coronavirus pandemic for the hospitals in Beroun and Hořovice, of which you are the owner?
So far, we have managed the unfavourable situation caused by the increase in infection perfectly and there is nothing that would plague us or limit our work. We have dealt with everything well beyond expectations. The most important thing is that the doctors and nurses have not become too infected. Unfortunately, the director of the Beroun hospital, Nataša Petsini, has fallen ill and is so far only suffering from a milder form of the disease, so I believe that she will not have any complications. What impresses me most, however, is the dedication and willingness of the staff, which is incredible. I admire even more the doctors and nurses who choose to serve almost continuously, just taking a break for a while and going on duty again, not even going home. Once again, it shows that when the Czech nation is in danger, people stick together. Their dedication goes so far that when our cleaning ladies became infected, the doctors calmly took over the cleaning without giving it a second thought. They just said they were sick, so we have to do their job too. When I see that, I really get teary-eyed.
What specific doctors have offered to help in your specialist covid wards?
For example, all of our pediatricians have moved to the covid wards, also urologists, orthopedists are helping out in the covid wards. They may not be experts in infectious diseases, but they do general medical work, such as connecting a patient to an infusion. It doesn't matter whether they administer it in their wards or in the covid ward. Giving an infusion is the same everywhere. I appreciate the fact that doctors from other departments, who do not have fighting coronavirus in their job description, did not hesitate to support the infectious disease team immediately. They volunteered and immediately took on the services and are on hand for the infectious specialists. I must also acknowledge the nurses, where collegiality is also at work, and therefore we have no shortages with them either. The infection team is also complemented by medics. I have also called my daughter, who is in her third year of medicine and now helps as a practical nurse in the covida ward at the Beroun rehabilitation hospital. Every help is very valuable.
How are you doing with your stocks of protective equipment?
We have at least five months' supply. Apart from respirators and masks, we count protective suits, goggles, gloves and filters.
Did you provide the equipment yourself as the owner or did the Ministry of Health help you with it?
I have provided all the equipment listed individually, but the Ministry of Health has provided us with twelve lung ventilators. We also have enough specialist equipment, including oxygen. The only thing I can't control is that the staff don't become significantly infected. So far, his health is holding up.
As the owner of two hospitals, have you consulted directly with the still current Minister of Health, Roman Prymula, on anti-viral measures to prevent the various complications that a spreading infection can cause?
Yes, we approached him even before he became minister about various measures because we consider him one of the biggest epidemiology whizzes in the country. I must say that he advised us mainly on how to isolate patients, what to do to avoid infecting staff and how to test them. These are, to put it in hyperbole, a thousand little measures, but they result in doctors and nurses working in a safe environment. And I have to say that the professor's advice is working, because the staff who are sick are not getting infected in our health facilities, but outside.
Since we have already mentioned the person of the Minister of Health, Roman Prymula, I would like to ask you what you think about his case, when he visited a restaurant in Prague's Vyšehrad with Jaroslav Faltynek and others, and therefore he will have to resign? He has done so at a time when all other establishments have to keep their interiors closed, thanks to a government regulation that he has just helped to issue. Yet he is the one who pleaded with the nation to abide by the restrictions issued.
It's a sad story. The moment the news of his visit broke, we were specifically addressing the issue of having enough refrigeration equipment that we were ordering if there was an increase in deaths. And I'm really not in the mood at this time to address whether or not the professor was at fault. To change the Minister at a time when the situation is getting worse by the day in terms of the number of infections is, in my view, foolish. If he has committed a misdemeanour, then let him be executed after the New Year, when the situation will hopefully have calmed down a little and the republic will have stabilised. Now is really not the time for a shake-up. Because if a new minister takes his place now, it will be a day before he finds out where his toilet is in the ministry. Adapting to a new environment and people will take a lot of time, and at a time when we are playing for every second, we simply cannot afford the luxury of replacing such an erudite minister. I find it absurd that he has to quit now.
WE ARE NOW PAYING DEARLY FOR OUR LOSS OF SUMMER VIGILANCE.
As an expert in the health care business, what do you think caused the current second wave?
The summer is clearly to blame for the current crisis, with the numbers getting worse by the day. People lost their guard, forgot about prevention and danger. They went sunbathing, swimming, to restaurants, barbecued with friends and did not observe the two-metre spacing. And because the virus doesn't seem to like the heat, it has slowed down and attacked with all the more intensity now in autumn. In the euphoria of summer, we didn't realize that cold days would come and we would be confined to unventilated spaces. In summary, we all underestimated the situation in the summer and did not look to the future, which is why we find ourselves in such a difficult situation. I must also mention that the current situation is not helped by the misinformation circulating on the Internet that the coronavirus does not exist, or that it is a common cold or flu, and so many people do not protect themselves by wearing masks or taking hygiene precautions, including disinfection.
Can you predict the future course of the coronavirus pandemic?
November will be the worst month and will determine what course we take in the fight against the pandemic. Depending on how we handle it, we can try to predict what will happen next. But since November hasn't even begun, it is pointless to make detailed predictions. I have noticed, however, that the length of stay of those admitted to hospital is increasing, more patients are coming in, and I am worried about overwhelming the capacity of the overall system. I am thinking mainly of patients who are suffering from completely different diseases than covid-19 and thus there will be no beds left for them. I am worried that we will not concentrate on coronavirus patients and have an increase in deaths from, for example, cancer or heart attacks, because there will be no one to look after them. I can already see that people are stopping going to the doctors again for fear of a pandemic, and that preventive check-ups and some operations are being postponed. In the meantime, the system is heading towards making us all unwell.
So let's be specific. How does your hospital in Hořovice, because the one in Beroun is a rehabilitation hospital, fare when a patient comes in because he has broken his leg, suffered a concussion or feels he has had a heart attack or an asthma attack?
Our teams are prepared and it is impossible for us to refuse anyone and not provide professional care to the patient. I can assure residents in the vicinity of our hospitals that we have the capacity for treatment other than covid-19. No one really needs to worry about not being treated. But I am talking about the situation that exists now. If the coronavirus crisis doubles in severity, then I cannot guarantee anything. Our area has a catchment population of about a hundred thousand, and so far we are able to provide everyone with both covid care and other treatments.
You are from Greece, so I would like to ask you what is the situation in your home country regarding the new SARS-COV-2 coronavirus?
The situation in Greece is much better than here in the Czech Republic. The authorities report that 900 patients are infected every day and that six to eight people succumb to the disease in twenty-four hours. However, we must not forget that it is still warm in Greece, so people are outdoors a lot. In addition to the good weather, the discipline of the Greeks also helps.
If the Czech Republic was in a major crisis, is it possible that Greek doctors would come to our aid or at least support your facility? I'm sure you have contacts with many experts.
For the time being, this question is not at all relevant because, as I said, our hospitals are coping with the onslaught. Moreover, we are very well equipped, both in terms of staff and specialist equipment. So far, we are also helping ourselves in other matters, such as babysitting for our staff. For the doctors or nurses who have no one to help them with their offspring during the school closures and the current holidays, we have set up our own nursery and school where they stay under strict hygiene measures and no one has to stay at home with them, thus leaving us with no shortage of strength. We want our staff to be able to concentrate 100% on their demanding work, so we have to help them with their little ones.
Source: Petr Třešňák, EuroZprávy.cz, 26 October 2020
