Drug shortages continue in Greece, media reports said Friday.

Essential medicines are still absent from pharmacy shelves and consequently, Greeks now call pharmacies to check if their medicines are available, said the Pharmaceutical Association of Attica (FSA), according to the daily Avgi.

The Federation of Public Hospital Employees warned that the country lags behind many EU countries in the number of hospital beds, which is only 3.5 per 100,000 people while the EU average is 5.3 beds for 100,000.

The closure of many hospitals and clinics in line with conditions dictated by the EU in the last decade and staff shortages caused the current state of affairs, it said.

It warned that the current Nea Dimokratia government still plans to merge or close more hospitals.(Anadolu Agency)