Historical background
The first systematic efforts to organize Greece's health services began during King Otto’s reign, with the establishment of the country’s initial health service in 1833. Named the “Hygienic Department,” it was one of six departments within the newly formed Ministry of the Interior and was tasked with overseeing public health. From 1894 to 1914, the central administrative body for health services was the "Directorate of Public Hygiene and Perception", also under the Ministry of the Interior. Until 1914, no significant steps were taken to expand health services, as national resources and budget were primarily allocated to preparing a robust military. However, following the Balkan Wars, increased state attention was directed toward addressing the needs of retired soldiers. Consequently, in 1917, previously fragmented health and welfare services were consolidated under a new entity: the "Ministry of Social Welfare". This ministry was responsible for providing care to war victims, orphans, refugees, and families of conscripted soldiers.
In December 1922, after Asia Minor Catastrophe the Gonatas government established the "Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Assistance", which absorbed the "Ministry of Social Welfare" created in 1917. Since then, the Ministry of Health has typically encompassed social welfare and, from around 1970, social insurance. [3]
Today, however, social welfare responsibilities and social security functions have been reassigned to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
The longest serving Minister of Health was Spiros Doxiadis [ el ], Minister of Health in the governments of Constantine Karamanlis, who served for a total of 48 months and 5 days.
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