By Marinos Pavlikas
In the eighth month, as a Reference Hospital for the coronavirus, it completes the General Hospital of Famagusta, which took over this role from the 11th of last March. Since then, the hospital staff has managed to deal with the first wave of the pandemic, while since last week the emergency management plan for the second wave has also been launched, which clearly looks more threatening.
As of last Thursday, the procedures for complete evacuation of the hospital have progressed, so that eighty-eight beds are available to the Ministry of Health and the OKYPY for the treatment of patients with coronavirus. In fact, the number of patients hospitalized at the end of last week exceeded fifty, thus surpassing any record number of patients with coronavirus hospitalized at the Reference Hospital, from March 11 until today.
Implement the emergency plan
The rapid increase in confirmed cases, and therefore the number of people in need of hospitalization, has led the Ministry of Health to implement an emergency plan to manage the pandemic. Therefore, in addition to the complete evacuation of the Famagusta Hospital, in case of fullness of the eighty-eight beds and the five beds in the Intensive Care Unit and the ward COVID-19 of the General Hospital of Nicosia, according to the Spokesperson of OKYPY, Charalambos Charilaou, seventy beds will be available from the fifth floor of the General Hospital of Limassol, while in case of fullness, an additional ward of the General Hospital of Nicosia will be opened for two hundred, is available to the health system.
Regarding the Referral Hospital in particular, the implementation of the evacuation plan concerned the disposal of the Pediatric and Gynecological Clinics since last March, while in October the Pathological Clinic was evacuated. Last Friday, the Orthopedic Department was evacuated, with patients in need of treatment being transferred to Larnaca General Hospital. Therefore, patients in the province of Famagusta will be able to be served either by the Larnaca General Hospital or by private sector hospitals affiliated to the GESS. As for the wards of the Hospital that remain in operation for the patients of the area, the outpatient clinics, the Accident and Emergency Department, the Hemodialysis Unit, as well as the Infectious Diseases Unit in the underground parking lot, in which the drive-through sampling for coronavirus.
The evacuation of the Hospital brought various reactions to staff and the public in the area. On the one hand the Coordinator of the ward doctors COVID-19 of the Reference Hospital, Specialist Physician Dr. Christos Kypris expressed the readiness of the medical staff to continue the battle of hospitalization of patients with coronavirus. For his part, the representative of PASYDY nurses, Marios Polydorou, did not fail to point out the problem of understaffing observed in the Hospital and the fatigue of first-line health professionals, who are constantly working in a pandemic management environment. Regarding the staffing of the Hospital, it is pointed out that the staffing of the Hospital is expected by next week, in order to cover the needs for three doctors and ten nurses.
Dr. Amalia Hatzigianni: "Continuous exchange of emotions"
Invited by the newspaper "Simerini" to describe her feelings for the eight-month uninterrupted battle with the pandemic, the Scientific Director of OKYPY of the General Hospital of Famagusta, Dr. Amalia Hatzigianni, pointed out that they are experiencing a constant alternation of emotions. As he said, fear, anxiety, and sadness are followed by joy, satisfaction, and emotion for patients who eventually manage to be discharged.
Describing the difficulties for health professionals in managing the pandemic, he said that, although the first phase was accompanied by fewer cases, the difficulty for health professionals was particularly great, as there was no experience and means, as well as the knowledge that has now been acquired. There was also fear, uncertainty about tomorrow, both for the people on the front lines and for their families. On the other hand, the challenges they have to manage were and are great, despite the excessive fatigue, while what gives strength is the continuation of offering and love to the sufferers.
According to Dr. Amalia Hatzigianni, in the management of the pandemic, teamwork, diligence, collectivity and excessive zeal and dedication of all employees "and above all those on the front line that we will succeed" played an important role. One, as he said, complements the other, while he stressed that they had next to them the support of the State and the Ministry of Health, as well as the help from individuals and organizations in the area and for the first time, perhaps, as he said, the important support from the media.
The average age of patients and the appeal to the public
As the Scientific Director of the Reference Hospital told "S", the average age of patients in need of treatment is about 50-55 years. As he said, people of all age groups who show serious symptoms need hospitalization. These may be young people without underlying diseases, but also those with serious illnesses and comorbidities. "Unfortunately," he said, "the enemy does not give to anyone."
At the same time, as he said, the second wave of pandemic has already started, more severe, with much more cases compared to the first. What is needed by the public is discipline, individual responsibility and respect for those around us. "Let us temporarily be deprived of some of our daily habits," he said. He also warned that the coming months are predicted to be particularly difficult and that what is needed are small sacrifices by all "to protect the great good of health. Faithful observance of the measures and a mask everywhere ".
Describing the shocking moments she experienced as Director of the Referral Hospital, Dr. Amalia Hatzigianni told "S" that what will be unforgettable is, mainly, in the first wave of the pandemic, when "hospitalized patients, exhausted from the disease but also scared for tomorrow, away from their own, they would call me to hear a word of consolation and encouragement. Also, the joy and gratitude of these patients when they leave after the completion of their treatment ".
Source: SIMERINI newspaper on Sunday, 8/11/2020