Here are some details about the health centre on Aegina island, which might be useful both to visitors as well as island residents. The Health Centre is located within walking distance of Aegina harbour and it is state-run as opposed to the hospital in Aegina town which is church-run.

Opening hours & fees

One does not need to make an appointment for the clinic. It is open for medical examinations all day (24 hours) but for prescriptions or X-rays only from 9:00 to 13:00. There is a € 5 fee (September 2011), nothing more, though patients must pay for their own medicine, for which prescriptions are written. Overnight stays for patients if needed are possible, but for two nights maximum, and such patients much bring someone with them to tend to their needs, as nurses are not available for this service.

Doctors & equipment

The clinic has 6 general practitioners, a pediatrician, and one dentist, but only the general practicioners are there on a daily basis. Other specialists (in addition to the pediatrician and dentist) come less frequently, and one can phone the clinic for details and schedules. Clinic equipment include the cardiograph, defribrillator, and X-ray machine. The Centre has one ambulance, which, if occupied, becomes available within a very short time period, as the island is relatively small. The Centre runs a vaccination program in the Aegina public schools.

Serious medical cases

For serious medical cases for which the centre is not equipped, patients may need to go to the hospital in Aegina town, or to a hospital in Athens or Piraeus. There are 3 public hospitals in both of these cities which treat emergency cases sent there by the Aegina Medical Centre. The process is as follows: Emergency cases are sent via ambulance to the Flying Dolphin to Piraeus (35-40 minutes) and a second ambulance comes to the Port of Piraeus to take the patient to one of these public hospitals, with full communication between the Centre and the urban hospital network. It is not necessary for the patient to have an escort to the hospital to which he/she is sent. Depending on the day of the week they will bring you to a specific public hospital, you cannot select a hospital yourself.

For private hospitals, insurance is needed, and foreign insurance is accepted by these hospitals, including that from companies outside of the EU. If you have private insurance you can ask them to bring you to the hospital of your choice.

Languages spoken by personnel

Doctors at the clinic speak English as well as Greek, and some of them know other languages.

Support Medical Centre

People could support the Medical Centre by donating items to needy patients, the following items would be happily accepted: clothing, toys, blankets, sheets & pillows.

How to get to the Medical Centre Aegina

By FREE public transport
There is FREE public transportation to the clinic from the bus station opposite the boat ticket offices at the port. You will see the buses lined up across from these offices, and behind the buses, the ticket office for the bus company, KTEL. The local transport bus is smallish and white. This bus leaves every hour at 20 minutes before the hour. First bus leaves at 8:40 in the morning and the last one leaves at 19:40.

By taxi
If you go by taxi, all the drivers know the location of the Medical Centre or Kentro Ygeias. The taxi will charge you around € 5.00 for a ride from the port to the Centre.

By foot
It is a 15 minute walk from the port of Aegina town.