A protest against the reopening of the Famagusta General Hospital as a Reference Hospital for patients with coronavirus and the closure of clinics, including Pediatrics and Gynecology, took place this morning outside the public hospital, residents of the free Famagusta area.
The event was also attended by the Famagusta MPs of AKEL Skevi Koukoumas and Nikos Kettiros, of DIKO Zacharias Koulias and of ELAM Linos Papagiannis.
The issue of the reopening of the Famagusta Hospital as a Reference Hospital is expected to be discussed on Monday, October 5, in a meeting that the Minister of Health will have at 11 in the morning, in his office, with the Mayors of the Famagusta free area.
See shots and statements recorded by Famagusta.News camera
Chrysanthos Zannetos: "The Government should reconsider the issue"
On behalf of AKEL, Chrysanthos Zannettos, a member of the party's Politburo and District Secretary of AKEL Famagusta, said that "the Famagusta General Hospital is facing a lot of problems. "Since its operation as a Referral Hospital, it has been under-functioning because several of its clinics, such as Pediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, do not operate, in order to respond as a Referral Hospital for patients with coronavirus."
He added that "this action has put in real danger the lives of people in the free area of Famagusta who face many serious problems, with the result that specific cases are sent either to private hospitals or in most cases to hospitals in other provinces."
We call on the government to "once again review the operation of the Famagusta Hospital as a Reference Hospital, finding other solutions that may be more legitimate in dealing with the pandemic," Zannett continued.
He said that in Famagusta Hospital there are two huge wards, which are empty and can easily operate ", he said and noted that at the same time" the Ministry of Health should consider the possibility of operating departments of other Hospitals, such as Larnaca Hospital with its new wing, as Reference Hospitals for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic ".
He also said that "the Intensive Care Unit does not operate at the Famagusta General Hospital and the patients who need this treatment are sent to the Limassol and Nicosia Hospitals".
Zacharias Koulias: "The President should take drastic measures"
For his part, Zacharias Koulias, a Famagusta MP from DIKO, said that "today we are protesting against the way in which the Reference Hospital for patients with Covid-19. When the procedure for the treatment of patients with coronavirus at the Famagusta Hospital began, unfortunately it was to the detriment of the operation of the public hospital, as a result of which the Pediatric Department and part of the Gynecology Department were closed ".
He added that "at the same time there is a problem with the medical, nursing and paramedical staff and we call on the government and especially the President of the Republic, immediately and drastically (to intervene) because as things develop (on the coronavirus front) they must be taken immediately and drastic measures ".
Mr. Koulias also stated that "the Famagusta Hospital has an entire floor, which was built in honor of the province of Famagusta and with very little expense the government can proceed with its operation. The Pediatric and Gynecological Departments of the Hospital should function normally and be reinforced with doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, because many of these staff moved to other Hospitals, with the result that the Famagusta Hospital is understaffed and the people of the province are scattered in other Hospitals ".
In his statements, Zacharias Koulias also referred to the operation of the Hospitals, which, as he claimed, "are in fact being dismantled. "While we went to do GESY, we finally did a dismantling," he said, noting that "we managed to make all the doctors, in the private and public sector, overnight, to become government officials."
In short, he said, "We dismantled the system. While we had a proper system with the Hospitals as they operated and a good private sector, today we managed with the methodology of a lot of money to dismantle it. I hope that those who have the responsibility, to think again about what they are doing and to take immediate and drastic measures, especially in the Reference Hospital ".
This, Mr. Koulias continued "burdens the Minister of Health mainly, even the President of the Republic who needs to give the necessary instructions to proceed immediately and drastically to improve these unacceptable conditions prevailing at the General Hospital of Famagusta" .
Linos Papagiannis: "We demand equal treatment"
For his part, Linos Papagiannis, MP of Famagusta, ELAM, stated that "we believe that what needs to be done is very simple. We do not ask for anything irrational, we do not ask for anything more than the other provinces, we ask for the same treatment "with the other Hospitals", he said and noted that "it is extremely unfair for the province of Famagusta to have a Reference Hospital whose various Departments are closing".
He added that "we ask for the obvious, that is, to divide the burden in all provinces and to strengthen the Famagusta Hospital so that it operates the same as the General Hospitals of the other provinces."
Famagusta.News / KYPE