Police Raid Free Health Care Center for Needy

Early on Friday, the police narcotics squad and officials from the National Pharmaceuticals Organization (EOF) searched the Metropolitan Community Clinic at Elliniko after the police said they received reports about the unauthorised distribution of drugs to drug addicts on the premises.

In a statement, the clinic said: "We wonder who made this complaint about the distribution of drugs. We won't engage in speculative scenarios. All we'll do is repeat what we've said for the past two years. No one should be alone in this crisis. Let the government and the health ministry provide a solution so that there will be no need for social health clinics and social pharmacies to exist. More than 3m citizens have NO access to the public health system. When will the government finally do something about it?"

Since it was set up in December 2011, the clinic has had 15,000 visits from people denied access to free state healthcare, like the longterm unemployed and the impoverished.

The clinic refuses cash gifts and corporate support but accepts donations of medicines.