Stelios Foundation pledges €10m to support doctors on 47 small Greek islands

Cyprus-born entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, through the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, is launching a €10 million initiative to strengthen public healthcare on Greece’s small islands, aiming to support the retention of 80 doctors on 47 islands over the next seven years.

The donation agreement was signed during a special ceremony at the Office of the Greek Prime Minister, in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis.

The programme targets 47 small islands served by Regional Clinics and Multi-purpose Regional Clinics, the smallest healthcare facilities within the Greek National Health System. Importantly, the initiative does not apply to islands that host health centres or larger healthcare structures.

According to the announcement, the initiative reflects the strong and long-standing connection of the foundation’s founder with the islands of Greece, as well as the ongoing challenges faced by small island communities in accessing essential healthcare services.

The donation aims to create a meaningful and stable incentive over a seven-year period, designed to attract and retain medical professionals in healthcare facilities on these islands and ensure uninterrupted access to healthcare services for residents throughout the year.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, referring to the significance of the initiative, said that “for the first time, a private donor has turned his attention not to infrastructure, but to human resources.”

He added that the donation helps address “a critical issue, namely the staffing of Regional Medical Clinics and Multi-Purpose Regional Medical Clinics on 47 very small islands,” where Greece has faced objective difficulties in attracting doctors throughout the year, despite the fact that the Greek State has provided significant additional incentives for doctors to serve on these islands.

For his part, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou noted that “Greece’s small islands have long faced difficulties in staffing their smaller healthcare facilities.”

He explained that “the high cost of living, particularly on tourist islands, and the challenging living conditions on remote islands often discourage doctors from choosing to serve there.”

Through the donation, he said, the aim is “to create a real incentive for doctors to choose to work on the country’s small islands.”

As he pointed out, “the supplementary net allowance of €1,500 per month can make a meaningful difference for a doctor considering moving to a remote area and supporting a small island community.”

Moreover, he added that “this initiative establishes a stable framework of incentives for seven years, with a clear objective, to ensure that residents of the small islands have continuous access to healthcare services.”

Under the programme, 80 doctors and rural service doctors who are physically present at healthcare facilities on these islands will receive €1,500 per month in net additional income, paid for 12 months each year.

The payment will be made by the Greek State, following the donation from the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, and will come in addition to the doctors’ existing salaries from the National Health System, effectively bringing their net monthly income close to €3,000.

The additional income is intended to help offset the significantly higher cost of living and accommodation on small islands, while also creating a practical incentive for doctors to serve in these remote locations.

During the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, opening the event, referred to the initiative as the result of discussions that began just six months ago.

He said that “from an idea that we discussed just six months ago, we have now reached – thanks to the willingness and initiative of Stelios Haji-Ioannou himself and, of course, the response of the Ministry of Health, the signing of this donation,” adding that the initiative is “not symbolic but substantive, as it supports the National Health System on 47 small Greek islands.”

Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis also referred to the challenges faced in staffing medical facilities on these islands.

He explained that “with today’s donation we are addressing a significant challenge we face.”

As he noted, “on these 47 islands, we usually either cannot find doctors at all, or we are forced to transfer doctors from neighboring islands or from other Health Centers, with all the difficulties and time constraints this entails.”

In some cases, he added, the authorities have also been “compelled to request the assistance of the Hellenic Armed Forces and use conscript soldiers.”

According to the foundation, the initiative forms part of its long-standing strategy to contribute where there is a clear social need, focusing on solutions designed for long-term impact and continuity.

Within a framework where the State must apply uniform policies across the entire country and private companies cannot intervene directly in the public healthcare system, the foundation said that the immediate action of a private donor can provide a targeted and practical response, complementing the efforts of the State.

The implementation of the programme, including the announcement of positions, the selection of doctors for each island and the payment of funds to beneficiaries, will be carried out by the Ministry of Health and the competent Regional Health Authorities, in accordance with the terms of the donation agreement.

An online application process for interested doctors is expected to be announced shortly.

The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that supports social and educational initiatives in countries where its founder has been active, including Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Monaco.

Among its initiatives is the “Food From the Heart” programme, launched in 2013, which supports people facing difficult economic conditions in Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Ireland and France by providing snacks every working day to vulnerable groups.

The programme distributes an average of 300,000 snacks per month to approximately 150,000 visitors.

The foundation also organises seven entrepreneurship awards programmes in Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Monaco.

In Cyprus, key initiatives include the Bi-Communal Business Cooperation Awards and the Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs, which recognise and support entrepreneurial talent through monetary prizes.

In addition, the foundation funds scholarships for young people to attend educational institutions, including Doukas School, BCA College and ΩMEGA Yachting Academy in Athens, the University of Cyprus, and the London School of Economics and Bayes Business School, City University of London in the United Kingdom.

The foundation also offers the premises of its headquarters at 5 Markou Drakou Street in Nicosia free of charge for events organised by non-profit organisations, while the Stelios Foundation Conference Hall in Plaka, Athens, with capacity for up to 200 people, is also provided free of charge for non-profit events.

The historic building housing the conference hall at 22 Kidathineon Street was fully renovated by the foundation and inaugurated in autumn 2023.

More information about the foundation’s activities can be found here.