On a pilot basis, the first Accident and Emergency Department for Children will operate from Monday, January 30, 2023.
The specially designed space, which includes three examination rooms, is located within the First Aid area of the Nicosia General Hospital, while the new Department is currently staffed by three permanent paediatricians.
However, by the end of February, the staff will increase to five, since the immediate plans of OKYpY are to hire two more pediatricians to staff the Department.
The space is configured with the necessary equipment, while it is noted that the TAEP for adults will also assist in the effort with more specialized machines.
Besides, it is noted that if further hospitalization is needed for a child, he will be transferred to Makarios Hospital.
In his statements, on the sidelines of his visit to the site, where he inspected the progress of the preparations, the Minister of Health, Michalis Hatzipantela, expressed "joy and satisfaction" because, as he said, "another goal of the government of Nikos Anastasiadis and the Ministry of Health has been achieved". .
According to the Minister in charge, the goal was to create a TAEP for children, which he added "has been achieved and from Monday children come to First Aid and are examined in the special department that was set up especially for them".
Referring to the procedure followed, Mr. Hatzipantela said that the children arrive with their families at the Screening Center and then go to the specially designed area for children, where they are examined by pediatricians.
Responding to a related question, Mr. Hatzipantela said that "at the moment there are three examination rooms", to note that from Monday 10 to 15 children were examined per day.
He emphasized that time must be given to the Health and Safety Executive and the doctors, so that this system can work.
"We will evaluate it weekly and see what problems we have, to solve them immediately. Our goal is to upgrade this Service, which we offer to Cypriot patients," he said.
In relation to the additional shifts, the Minister of Health stated that "they will be staffed with public pediatricians, who work in public hospitals".
The Director of the TAEP of the Nicosia General Hospital, Andreas Iliadis, stated that the Department is operating on a pilot basis, asking the public to show understanding, since as he said for the time being the Department is partially staffed.
"We expect that in the coming days we will be more well staffed. All the infrastructure that works for adults works for children too. The difference is that children from 0 to 16 years of age will be examined by a specialist pediatrician in a specially designed area", he explained.
He also mentioned that there will be weekly evaluations in order to improve the effort.
Good news for the 4-year-old who is being treated in Israel
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When asked about the 4-year-old girl, who is in Israel for specialized treatment and who was hospitalized at the Makarios Hospital intubated with streptococcus type A, the Minister of Health spoke of "good news".
"The news is good. I hope that everything goes smoothly and that the child will be in Cyprus soon", he said.