The construction phase of the Onassis National Transplant Center begins

The ceremony to mark the start of the construction phase of the Onassis National Transplant Center was staged on Monday 9 December in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, the Prime Minister and President of the Greek Government, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodoros II, Archbishop Ieroymos of Athens and All Greece, and a host of representatives from the nation’s Civil, Political and Ecclesiastical leadership and from the scientific and academic communities.

The start was made at the Onassis Stegi just over a year ago, on 31 October 2018, when the Onassis Foundation announced its decision to create the Onassis National Transplant Center (ONTC). Today, the vision is on its way to becoming a reality: construction on the ONTC is underway and, three and a half years from now, Greece will acquire a hospital dedicated to solid organ transplants, which will also provide high-quality health services in the fields of Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

After the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center (OCSC), which after 27 years in operation has become synonymous with medical innovation and leadership, a new Onassis Foundation donation of national importance is set to take its place in Athens. A center for a broader-ranging collaboration across international borders, a hospital that will promote innovation and excellence by ushering in the digital age, a catalyst for activating the forces of altruism in society, a hospital for all which provides care for uninsured patients, too.

The President of the Onassis Foundation, Mr. Anthony Papadimitriou, noted: "Today marks the start of a new Hospital: the Onassis National Transplant Centre. Transplantation is a vision that includes us all. It will be there for us in the future, just so long as we assume our responsibilities today. All we need do is offer up the best part of ourselves. Today, we are here to mark the start of the construction phase of the Onassis National Transplant Center, and the beginning of a national effort to which we must all commit to see through to fruition.” At the same time, he announced a set of actions designed to improve the health system, most significantly the drawing up of a National Strategic Plan for Transplants: “Having secured the support of the State, we support and have commissioned a National Transplant Plan from a team at the London School of Economics led by the distinguished professors Elias Mossialos and Vassilios Papalois. The team has already embarked on its research in preparation for mapping the situation in Greece. Their conclusions are due to be published and made available to the Greek State in June 2020.”

In addition, the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after praising the contribution of the Onassis Foundation to the Public Benefit sector, declared: “At the foundations of the Onassis National Transplant Center three tendencies deeply rooted in Greek society converge: Solidarity and the sense of responsibility of Civil Society. Willingness of the State to collaborate with citizens and foundations where national infrastructure does not suffice. And, of course Mr. President, a long tradition in national benefactors, where Greeks who have thrived and succeeded in Greece and abroad but haven’t forgotten their homeland play a central role. [...] Moreover, our country today is in more need than ever for an action framework in the field of Transplants. Buildings alone do not suffice. You said it quite well Mr. President, donors are needed, a system is needed, a procedure is also needed and for this I regard as particularly important the implementation of a National Transplant Plan, under the supervision of professors, Dr. Mosialos and Dr. Papalois, who will equip our society with a safe guide for the development of this System.”