University Hospital of Heraklion / Panepistimiako Geniko Nosokomeio Irakleiou

With the effort to establish the National Health System in our country in 1983, an attempt was made for the first time to remove the inequalities between the center and the region, with the full and equal provision of health services to Greek citizens inside and outside the Hospital, with access of the users, the quality upgrade and the better operation of the Health Units.

This mitigation was attempted by Law 1397/83, which established the construction and operation of new units - health centers and new hospitals, for the specialized and high level provision of health services - secondary, tertiary. The construction and operation of the University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNI) was included in this strategic development framework of the health services.

The construction contract of the Hospital was ratified by Law 1398 / 7-10-83 and was assigned to the German manufacturer Philipp Holzmann AG with the supervisory authority of the Public Company for the Construction of Nursing Units (DEPANOM). The field area of the Hospital is approximately 84,000 sq.m. One part, 65,475 sq.m. approximately, their ownership has been transferred by the University of Crete and the rest have been expropriated by the Ministry of Health. With the above Law, the construction company had undertaken to complete the project within thirty five (35) months. In addition to the building and electromechanical facilities, the company delivered the Hospital with complete hotel and biomedical equipment.

The total construction cost of the Hospital was Three billion four hundred and forty million drachmas (3,440,000,000).

The total coverage of the Hospital amounts to 60,837 sq.m. and the capacity during the construction study in 672 beds.

The inauguration took place on 21-5-89 by the Prime Minister of the country Andreas G. Papandreou while the operation of the first Outpatient Clinics had started from 17-5-89. This was followed by the laboratory departments gradually from 14-6-89 and the nursing departments from 21-10-89 with about sixty (60) beds. Since then until today, the Hospital is on a continuous upward trend with the increase of its activities at all levels of health.