Filenews 9 August 2021 - by Evangelia Sizopoulou
In the wake of serious complaints against doctors concerning cases of issuing false vaccination certificates to patients, some of whom have been ill with coronavirus and are being treated, the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Medical Association (PIS) meets this morning with the Attorney General, Giorgos Savvidis.
The purpose of the meeting between the two sides is to launch a dialogue on how specific arrangements can be made so that the PIS has the weapons with which it can deal with serious incidents involving the action of doctors, which also have a criminal aspect, directly and flexibly.
Secure information from the 'F' indicates that one of the issues which will now fall on the table is whether – after the necessary arrangements – the PIS can be allowed to proceed for specific, particularly serious cases in the temporary withdrawal of the licence to practise the medical profession by its members until the criminal proceedings against them have been completed. It is noted that this cannot now be done, so a doctor who is facing a criminal case, until it is completed, can normally practice his profession. The hands of the PIS in the face of such a possibility are tied, so that he cannot suspend the doctor ahead of the course of justice and in the possibility of being acquitted when and whenever his criminal case is heard in time. The aim of the PIS, through the arrangements it wants to discuss and the opinions it seeks to obtain, is to be able to gain greater flexibility in the disciplinary field in cases where they also have a criminal aspect, so that there is no delay in its action and an inability to control these incidents.
However, when asked by the secretary of the PIS and chairman of his Ethics Committee, Dr. Michalis Anastasiades, about today's meeting, he told "F" that there would be a discussion with the Attorney General on issues that have always concerned the PIS and which relate to legislative and other provisions and regulations, with the aim of making all those that give the PIS the flexibility to examine and manage issues arising in the disciplinary field. but at the same time they also have criminal implications. The aim of all – and of the state and doctors – according to Dr Anastasiades, is to safeguard and protect the good of health. At the same time, Dr Anastasiades has also raised the issue of the prestige of the medical profession, pointing out that the PIS has a duty to safeguard it.
It is noted that at today's meeting the PIS will be accompanied by its legal advisor, while the Minister of Health, Michalis Hatzipandelas, will be present.
In progress the investigative work
In the meantime, with regard to the case of the 53-year-old doctor in Larnaca, who allegedly issued false vaccination certificates, the investigative team of the Larnaca PIS has engaged in a race to be able within seven days to complete the investigations and the large investigative work that remains.
Depositions are taken from the family and friendly environment of the doctor and patients treated in the hospital, and from his long list of 102 patients, whose names can be seen in the OA system, in order to determine how many of them were finally vaccinated by the 53-year-old with the AstraZeneca formulation. It should be noted that the examinations so far have found that three of his patients, who are hospitalized, appear in the OA system to be vaccinated when in fact they do not appear to be. His bank accounts will also be placed under the microscope of investigators after, according to information received by the police, he was allegedly bribed to issue the "fake" certificates. His detention order expires on August 13.
