Filenews 21 April 2021 - by Ioanna Mantziepa
The situation in the fifth ward of the Limassol General Hospital and especially in the short-term hospital ward where covid-19 patients are being treated is dramatic due to the rapid increase in hospitalizations.
Now the available beds are an endangered species, with patients who are ill receiving treatment on chairs, stretchers inside the corridors, but also in ambulances that have been converted into temporary beds.
The health system is under unbearable pressure, with doctors and nursing staff one step ahead of the collapse due to fatigue, Covid's ward manager, Dr Andreas Kostis, said in a statement to "F".
"Until yesterday at noon in the fifth ward of the Limassol General Hospital, only a safety bed was available, which is maintained in all hospitals. We have 10 admissions to the short-term hospital ward every day. We are at 110% of capacity."
Asked if there are patients waiting until they secure a bed, he said the images recorded in recent days are indescribable. As he said, in the short-term hospital ward there are patients who are treated on chairs and stretchers to receive oxygen and not be at risk until an available bed is found to be placed. Due to the rapid increase in patients in need of hospitalization, ambulances are located outside the First Aid of GN Limassol and have been converted into temporary beds.
Dr Kostis described the situation in public hospitals as dramatic, stressing that immediate measures must be taken to stop the worsening pandemic and the increase in cases. "In a few days we will see the results of the 900 incidents we have had in the previous days and things will get worse."
Asked what kind of measures would be ideal based on the country's epidemiological picture, he noted that there should be measures that would have an immediate impact and not measures whose results would be seen in two months. "There is unbearable pressure on the health system. There's no more room," he said characteristically.
Regarding the strengths of medical and nursing staff, he said that "staff from other diseases have already started to become ill due to fatigue." We have all started to record staff losses, so we are forced to work overtime on unrealistic hours. It's very difficult.'
He expressed the view that hospitals should be strengthened immediately, while acknowledging that the OKY does not have unlimited possibilities.
He added that patients from all ages are being treated on the 5th floor of the General Hospital. "We have cases involving patients between the age of 23 and 86. Unfortunately, many are old but due to the spread of the disease, we also hospitalize people aged 23 and 30 years. The 30-year-old may have underlying diseases such as kidney deficiencies and blood problems," he noted.
In conclusion, Dr Kostis appealed to the citizens to respect the measures, as he said things are so difficult that even they themselves can no longer practice quality medicine.
