Dimitris Kremastinos, a respected doctor, member of parliament and personal doctor to Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, died at a hospital in Athens from COVID-19.
The 78-year-old former Health Minister was one of Greece’s most celebrated and respected medical doctors with many distinctions for his work over the years.
Greece’s current Health Minister Vasilis Kikilias sent condolences via a Tweet that praised Dr. Kremastinos for serving with “dignity and a sense of responsibility.”
He served for many years in the Greek Parliament, representing the Dodecanese islands, including the tiny island of Halki, where he was born.
He has been credited with many health innovations in Greece, including the creation of the special division of life-flight helicopters that provide life-saving transport for residents of remote Greek islands.
Kremastinos was admitted into Evangelismos Hospital after falling ill from coronavirus more than 6 weeks ago.
Doctors at the hospital said he gave a good fight but lost his battle in the end, succumbing to the disease that has claimed more than 150 lives in Greece and more than 270,000 throughout the world (at the time of this article’s publication).
