Cyprus Mail 4 July 2022 - by Christodoulos Mavroudis
Government doctors’ union Pasyki announced a three-hour work stoppage at that A&E departments of all public hospitals on Tuesday between 9 and 12pm, in protest against staff shortages.
“We have raised the problems faced by public hospital’s accident and emergency departments many times in the past, with first and foremost being the serious issue of understaffing especially as experienced in the last three months. It is now impossible to safely operate accident and emergency departments with the current understaffing and the extra workload imposed by Covid,” a Pasyki announcement said.
A&E doctors were forced to work above and beyond their normal work hours, in most cases up to 12 or 18 hours a day without a day of rest, claimed the union.
During the three-hour strike, attention would only be given to patients in serious condition (categories 1 and 2).
On Monday, Akel issued an announcement condemning the situation at the Famagusta general hospital while also sending a delegation, which included party deputies, to meet with the hospital’s personnel and patients.
“The current situation and Okypy’s apathy have brought the problem to an impasse as the tourist season has started and hospitals, but especially, emergency departments, will be unable to cope with the increased demand for care,” Akel’s announcement reads.
“We once again call the government and Okypy to staff the Famagusta general hospital, stop operating with emergency personnel and be able to serve the public,” the announcement concluded.
