IKA queues underscore Greece's outdated structures

Those insured by the fund wait just to get a coveted priority ticket so that they can wait some more for their number to come up inside. The situation is overwhelming for the understaffed bureau officials who are not only overworked but also have to deal with squabbles as tempers are on short fuses.

The situation is commonplace at the particular center following mergers imposed in recent years that now require those insured at the southern Athens regions of Alimos, Moschato, Nea Smyrni and Palaio Faliro to head to Kallithea.

IKA states in an announcement that it is “unnecessary for the insured to head to the branch for the stamping of health books as this can be done electronically.” Most senior citizens however, have no access to online services, even though they are the ones who need to be alleviated from the burden the most so they rush from dawn and wait all day for a process that takes five minutes that in most of the world would appear easy and straight-forward.