Christos Lionis | University of Crete

Christos Lionis graduated as an MD from the University of Athens Medical School, and is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Social Medicine (Public Health). He also holds a PhD from the University of Crete with a focus on public health interventions and cardiovascular risk.

For the past twenty-five years, Christos has worked at the University of Crete Medical School, where he holds the Chair of General Practice and Primary Health Care. Additionally to his role as a Professor, he is the Director of the Clinic of Social and Family Medicine. With a passion for the importance and the value of Family Medicine, Christos is actively involved in the development of Primary Care and General Practice in Crete, particularly in rural areas, but also has a strong focus on the integration of public health and primary care, contributing in the creation of national and European networks. He is also the Coordinator of a thriving GP network, responsible for specialty training coordination and professional development of residents, as well as supervisor to a number of PhD students.

Christos has also acted as the Deputy General Director of the Regional Health and Welfare System of the Greek National Health Service for the Region of Crete. The Regional Health and Welfare System for the Region of Crete is the planning and regulatory body overseeing all health and welfare services across the island.

In parallel, for the past decade Christos has co-ordinated the Primary Health Care Unit at the Municipality of Heraklion, a shared initiative with the University Hospital and the Municipality of Heraklion. This facility offers medical care and assistance to socioeconomically deprived individuals, with a specific focus on chronic diseases.

He has served as Board Member in multiple professional associations and learned societies, and as an Advisor to the World Health Organisation, where he also serves as a Member of the Steering Group of the European Health Information Initiative since 2017, and he was appointed as Member of the European Commission’s Expert Panel on Effective Ways of Investing in Health in 2019.