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Crete Hospital Crisis: Half of Lasithi Doctor Posts Unfilled

Thursday, 9 July 2026/Source: CretaOne/1 min read

Health officials in Lasithi, the eastern prefecture of Crete, are raising concerns about chronic understaffing at local hospitals. According to regional health representative Manousakis, approximately half of all recent doctor recruitment postings have gone unfilled, leaving facilities operating well below capacity. Lasithi's main public hospital is located in Agios Nikolaos, with a smaller facility in Sitia. Tourists traveling to eastern Crete, including popular destinations such as Elounda, Spinalonga, and Vai, should be aware that medical response capacity in the area may be limited. As a precaution, travelers to the eastern part of the island are advised to carry adequate travel health insurance, keep a list of private clinic contacts in the region, and consider that serious medical cases may require transfer to the larger university hospital in Heraklion, roughly 70 kilometers west.

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