Kalavryta Hospital Unit 
History
A brief history of the Hospital
The first hospital facility in the city of Aigio was the Municipal Hospital, which was established in 1882 on the initiative of the Municipality and through a donation by the nun Eupraxia Ntousa. The building was designed by engineers D. Charalambis and A. Konstantinidis, and it was inaugurated in 1904. In 1928, a Surgical Department began operating for the first time, and according to available records, during 1933–1934, 218 patients were admitted to the surgical ward, while 1,600 people were treated at the surgical outpatient clinics. In 1939, the Radiology Department commenced operation.
Because state funding for Municipal Hospitals ceased in 1954, and the Municipality was unable to support the hospital financially, discussions began regarding its transition into a state-run facility. Thus, in August 1958, by Royal Decree published in the Government Gazette (FEK 121/B/1958), the Municipal Hospital of Aigio was renamed the General Hospital of Aigio. The hospital’s property remained solely under its ownership. That same year, planning also began for the construction of a new wing.
The construction of a larger, modern hospital had been a longstanding request of the residents of Aigialeia since the early 1970s. The existing building was nearly 70 years old and no longer adequate for the region’s growing healthcare needs. As a result, in the late 1970s, the state approved funding for a new, modern facility with a capacity of 120 beds to serve the wider area.
In the meantime, because the old hospital building no longer met required standards, the administrations of the time took steps to improve the quality of services provided until the new hospital could be completed. Thus, in the early 1980s, the hospital was relocated to two former private clinic buildings (the Magganiotis Clinic and the Toubamanakis Clinic).
The construction of the hospital’s current building began on 5 September 1981, in a ceremony attended by the then Minister of Social Services, Sp. Doxiadis, and the Minister of the Presidency, Kostis Stephanopoulos. The facility was built on a 17-stremma plot in the Ano Voulomeno area of Aigio, with 2,500 sq.m. designated for the building itself. The contractor, P. Sakkas, a civil engineer and public works contractor from Mesolongi, undertook the project with a 30% discount and a total agreed cost of 80 million drachmas. The original plan called for completion in 1986. Unfortunately, numerous issues arose, the contractor was declared in default, and the project remained unfinished for nearly a decade.
After many delays, the new modern hospital building was finally inaugurated in 1995 and has since served as the most important healthcare facility in Eastern Achaia. The first department to operate in the new building was the Emergency Department, which began functioning in 1993.
A full reconstruction of the complex of seven operating theatres (five aseptic and two septic) was later carried out, covering a total area of 750 sq.m. across two levels. This included recovery areas, support spaces, and new medical equipment. Three of the operating theatres had been destroyed by a fire in 2001.
The administrative merger of the General Hospital of Aigio with the General Hospital – Health Centre of Kalavryta formed a new organization called the East Achaia General Hospital (Ministerial Decision Υ4α/οικ.123818/2012, FEK 3486/B/31-12-2012). The total bed capacity of the unified Legal Entity of Public Law (NPDD) was set at 120 beds.
The hospital has been included in the “Energy Upgrade” programme under project code OPS 6004535 (“Western Greece 2021–2027”), which is expected to reduce energy consumption by 40%, significantly lowering operating costs and CO₂ emissions. The project is still ongoing. The plan includes bioclimatic upgrades to Building Sections A, C, and D (the multi-storey building).
A new 500 sq.m. Emergency Department area is also being constructed in Section B (currently housing administrative services). The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
