The Institute of Preventive Medicine, Environmental and Occupational Health, Prolepsis, organized an event to inform the residents of the municipality of Oinofyta and the general public about the Environmental and Occupational Health Program and the Health Observatory that has been organized and was recently put into operation in the area. The event, held on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at the Diaconal Church Center of Oinofyta, was attended by residents, the local media and local authorities.
The informational event opened with the welcome speech of the Mayor of Oinofyta, Mr. Georgios Theodoropoulos. Mr. Theodoropoulos thanked Prolepsis Institute and its partners for this initiative, which he described as a significant effort and the first in Greece that can serve as a model for other programs around the country in the future. In closing, the Mayor stressed that "As the local government, we will fully support this endeavor".
Greetings were also read on behalf of the Minister of Health and Social Solidarity, Ms Marilisa Xenogiannakopoulou, and the Special Secretary of Environment and Energy Audit of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Ms Margaret Karavasili.
More specifically, Ms Xenogiannakopoulou expressed her wishes of success for the program and her commitment to support every effort to improve the health of Greek citizens.
Ms Karavasili expressed how deeply pleased she was about the launch of the program, noting that a similar study has always been a strong demand of the local community and regional bodies. "I would like to point out the corresponding aspirations of the political leadership of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change which has made it a priority to address the serious issues in your area", she said, and continued "in this context we especially welcome the initiation of this program... expressing my active and strong support for its implementation".
Dr. Athena Linos, Associate Professor, Medical School, University of Athens and President of Prolepsis Institute, opened the series of presentations with a detailed description of the program. Among others Dr. Linos referred to the objectives of the Health Observatory which has already begun to operate in the region and the necessary conditions for its successful operation. She presented technical aspects of the program and a timetable of scheduled actions. Dr. Linos also stressed the need for consent and participation of the public and all stakeholders. "We ask for your participation, cooperation and trust. In return we promise scientific competence, transparency, continuous communication and promotion of all topics related to health" she noted.
Following Dr. Linos, Dr. Elena Riza, Epidemiologist / Industrial Hygienist and Professor of the Postgraduate Program "Occupational and Environmental Health: Administration and Economic Evaluation" of the Medical School of Athens University, presented the contribution of such a Health Observatory to the success of screening programs. Having referred to the requirements and objectives of screening programs or organized pre-symptomatic controls and logs for cancer, Dr. Riza highlighted their particular usefulness to the area of Oinofyta. "With the operation of the Observatory in the region, vital procedures such as recording, evaluation, assessment of the situation, as well as planning of the necessary interventions, will now be possible", she stressed.
Afterwards, Dr. Eleni Patrozou, Internist / Infectious Diseases Specialist and Scientific Director of the Institute, referred to the role the Observatory could have in the management of infectious diseases. "The innovative implementation of this Health Observatory for Greece will help detect infectious diseases, control their expand, recognize and protect high-risk groups and, of course, play a key role in early treatment and prevention", said Dr. Patrozou. Finally, she spoke in particular about the pandemic Influenza A (H1N1), providing a detailed explanation about the effectiveness of such an Observatory in the management of the current crisis.
The series of presentations was closed by Dr. Vasilios Skouteris, lawyer and Research Associate at the Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Program of the School of Medicine, University of Athens titled "Occupational and Environmental Health: Administration and Economic Evaluation". Dr. Skouteris referred to every citizen's right to access to environmental information, as regulated by international conventions and EU directives. As he stated, "This particular effort initiated by Prolepsis Institute meeting the long-standing demands of nearly the entity of the local society, can and should be supported by residents and workers in the region through the right of access to environmental information".
The conclusion of the scientific team's presentations was followed by questions from the public, which led to a very constructive dialogue between all parties involved.
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Informational Event on the Environmental and Occupational Health Program led by Prolepsis Institute in Oinofyta, Greece 
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