Serious Protocol Violation in Blood Transfusion Error: Health System Under Scrutiny

A damning report from the Organization for Quality Management in Healthcare (ODIPY) highlights an alarming breach of protocols and a collapse in safety measures following the incorrect blood transfusion incident involving a 62-year-old patient in Chania. The report, delivered to Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis on Thursday (19/06/2025), outlines eight critical points where mistakes occurred. Among these are human error, staff overwork, and equipment malfunctions that could have aided identification. Minister Georgiadis emphasized ‘serious protocol violations’ and announced plans for stricter procedures. ‘If the protocol had been followed, if the nurse’s assistant had been supervised by the head nurse who was present but did not accompany him, there would have been a “second eye” to prevent the mistake,’ he stated. Meanwhile, the 62-year-old woman remains in intensive care in critical condition as medical staff fight to save her life. This tragic event reignites discussions about healthcare safety when systems operate with exhausted personnel. POEDHN President Michalis Giannakos acknowledged the human error but highlighted the broader issue of understaffing. Despite annual transfusions of 500,000 blood units largely handled safely by nursing assistants, the reality is stark. In many hospitals, especially on islands, one nursing assistant often manages entire clinics alone during night shifts. Calls for permanent hires and decent wages echo across Greece’s healthcare sector, with warnings of continued brain drain unless urgent action is taken.