Filenews 10 August 2021 - by Michalis Hatzivasilis
Five cases or reports of doctors allegedly involved in issuing fake vaccination certificates are currently being investigated by the Police, but the problem appears to be much bigger, with the Attorney-General describing these phenomena as very serious.
At the same time, gaps can be found in the procedures of the PIS to suspend the licence of doctors who are criminally investigated by the Police, which is why the change in the law will be accelerated. At the criminal level the Police are investigating a case involving a 53-year-old doctor in Larnaca, two other cases involving doctors in Paphos and two others in Limassol. The cases in Limassol and Paphos concern information and not complaints. More serious is the case in Larnaca where a 41-year-old patient at the Reference Hospital was treated as vaccinated by a specific doctor in Larnaca, while in the end it appears that he had not been vaccinated. "F" information indicates that statements have been received from doctors and nurses at the Reference Hospital who testified that the 41-year-old had told them he had not been vaccinated. Investigators will wait for the green light from doctors as soon as the patient is able, to get a statement from him to determine whether he possessed a false certificate.
Yesterday the director of the Reference Hospital, Amalia Hatzigiannis, confirmed that last week a man, who held a vaccination certificate without being vaccinated, was being treated at the Hospital. The patient has been discharged from the Hospital, while the case has been taken over by the Police, after a second person had been hospitalized, holding a vaccination certificate without making the vaccine.
A similar case is being investigated in Paphos where a minor found with a coronavirus is reportedly vaccinated but it is being investigated if this is correct. The Limassol case concerns a couple who went to a specific personal doctor and asked to be passed into the system as vaccinated, without being vaccinated. When the doctor refused, the couple were deleted from his list and they enrolled with another doctor.
The problem that the police will face in investigating these cases, as we are informed, concerns how it is scientifically proven that someone has not been vaccinated since he became diseased, since he has thus acquired antibodies. Any legal issues that arise will be resolved at the Legal Service when the cases are completed.
These cases were discussed yesterday at a meeting of the Legal Service under the General and Assistant Attorney General, the Minister of Health Michalis Hatzipantella, the Chief of Police Stelios Papatheodorou and the provincial leaders of the TAS of the three provinces involved in the investigation of these cases. George Savvides, after describing these cases as very serious, at the same time appealed to the Police for any other information available on cases of certification that do not correspond to reality, so that the necessary investigations can be carried out. Information from the "F" indicates that instructions were given such as statements taken from those who were diseased and allegedly possessed false certificates in order to provide their testimony.
On the subject the Health Minister said yesterday that, it appears, there are more than three cases, which are being investigated by the Police at this time. Asked about this, he said that no other complaints had been made to his office and that the additional cases relate to complaints made directly to the Police.
They're running for a change in the law.
A bill allowing the suspension of the licence to practise by doctors investigated for serious criminal cases by the Police will be prepared by the legal adviser of the PIS, which will be sent to the Ministry of Health and this to the Legal Service for legislative review before being led to the process of its vote.
The issue was discussed yesterday at a meeting of all those involved in the Legal Service, following the issue created by a doctor in Larnaca who is suspected of issuing fake vaccination certificates. In a statement, Attorney General George Savvides said there was a lack of ability on the part of the PIS to take disciplinary action for possible unethical conduct by doctors prior to their conviction. This is what we discussed and is where some action will be taken on behalf of the legal advisers of the PIS to recommend a change in the legislation, the Attorney General noted.
Mr Savvides said that the disciplinary review of a professional body is carried out by its disciplinary body and not by the Legal Service. He added that "this is an issue that we have discussed, suggestions have been made and a decision has been taken to prepare some legislation. At the same time we as the Legal Service will see what other measures we may be able to take to limit any public exposure to those cases where a doctor is found to have acted in a way that is inconsistent with professional ethics," he said.
In a statement, the Chairman of the Ethics Committee of pis Michalis Anastasiades said that the reason they requested the meeting in the Legal Service was the gap that is found and that does not allow us to move at the pace we would like and the effectiveness in dealing with exceptional cases of possible criminal offences committed by our members. What we presented and discussed was the possibility of immediately amending the legislation to untie our hands in investigating our members for possible criminal offences.
We, he said, neither can nor do we want to investigate like the prosecuting authorities, since that is not our role. He admitted that at the moment the Medical Association is not allowed to lift the licence to practise by any doctor who is being investigated. So one of our main suggestions now is the temporary lifting of the licence to practise until the completion of the investigation, he concluded.
O.S.A.: Proceeds with contract suspensions
The Health Insurance Agency is deeply concerned about what is being seen in the public eye and concerns both complaints against doctors who are alleged, on the basis of what the Police are investigating, to have issued fake vaccination certificates to their patients, and to reports from other doctors who claim to be bullied by their colleagues because they are in favour of vaccination.
The OAS, it says, is immediately investigating cases of the issue of false certificates in cooperation with all competent authorities and will take all appropriate measures including the suspension of contracts. At the same time, it invites the public to inform the Agency of similar incidents that may have taken place as well as cases where it understands that GHS doctors discourage vaccination without medical reasons.
To this end, the public is encouraged to contact the Agency either by calling 17000 or by sending an e-mail to info@gesy.org.cy. At the same time, all doctors contracted with the GHS are invited to make an official report to the Agency in cases of intimidation by their colleagues.
