3 minutesThe Board of Directors of HELLENIC PETROLEUM S.A. met today and passed a resolution to allocate a total net amount of 8 million Euros for the purchase of medical equipment, consumables, and for other expenses related to the coronavirus crisis.
This amount will be spent on equipment, consumables and specific services required to fight this crisis, as well as on assistance to medical facilities and higher risk groups. The donation also includes supply of fuels and heating oil during the period of the crisis. The selection and management of the actions to be undertaken, will be assigned to a Company team in cooperation with the Ministry of Health coordination centre, so as to maximize and accelerate their positive impact on the management of this unprecedented crisis. The aim is to enhance the medical system’s capabilities in the areas of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and of the further follow-up and management of those that will contract the disease.
Already, over the past few weeks, in cooperation with the relevant Directors of the General University Hospitals “ATTIKON” and “AHEPA”, which are coronavirus dedicated hospitals for West Attica and Thessaloniki respectively, HELPE S.A. has ordered and imported from the USA, two cutting-edge pieces of equipment for coronavirus molecular diagnosis tests, as well as a significant number of special reagents that will immediately serve hospital needs. Thanks to these two new SARS CoV-2 Molecular Diagnosis Systems, whose delivery and commissioning is expected during the next two weeks, the number of tests carried out on a daily basis can be doubled, thus helping in prompt diagnosis and better management of the spread of the virus. Moreover, the Group will equip a specialized laboratory in the Pulmonology University Clinic of the General University Hospital “ATTIKON”, dedicated to the study and management of coronavirus effects on the respiratory system, while similar actions to meet urgent needs in Northern Greece are also being explored. In all three cases, the donated equipment, which is absolutely essential in the fight against this crisis, will remain in the hospitals and will be used for other tests after the end of the crisis.
The CEO of HELLENIC PETROLEUM, Mr. Andreas Shiamishis, stated the following:
“The challenge we are faced with is unprecedented and the extent of our success is directly dependent on our individual and collective mobilization. Social contribution has always been among HELLENIC PETROLEUM’s priorities and it goes without saying that we are going to be part of this effort. I am glad to announce that our Company’s BoD approved the donation of 8 million Euros to be allocated, in cooperation with the relevant government services, to medical equipment, medical consumables and services, as well as to the provision of support to higher risk groups. Our aim is not to merely make a financial contribution, but also to provide the necessary human resources for a quick and effective implementation of this project. We have already ordered from abroad two cutting-edge pieces of equipment that will double the daily capacity of coronavirus tests in ATTIKON and AHEPA, two of the coronavirus dedicated Hospitals. An important criterion is the possibility to use this equipment even after the pandemic, for similar medical purposes, so that the National Health System is strengthened after this crisis. We stand by our country’s medical and nursing staff and, on behalf of everybody at HELLENIC PETROLEUM, I would like to publicly express our gratitude for their superhuman efforts in this difficult time. At the same time, I would also like to warmly thank all HELPE Group employees who have been directly involved, from day one, in our efforts to ensure and guarantee the ongoing and unhampered supply of fuels and heating oil throughout Greece.”
