Medical association to probe charges of negligence

By Charlie Charalambous

THE MEDICAL Association is to investigate whether a teenage boy risked losing his right hand due to negligence on the part of hospital doctors.

The parents of 14-year-old Alexandros Ioannou blame Limassol doctors for failing to diagnose a nerve injury to his arm, which had been slashed by glass.

Doctors are accused of stitching up the wound and sending the teenager home without properly exploring the extent of the injury.

The teenager cut his arm last month and only had surgery yesterday to repair damaged nerves after he complained of numbness in his fingers.

The operation he underwent is described as having a 90 per cent success rate.

Makarios hospital surgeon Alkis Alkiviades — who carried out yesterday’s operation — has suggested that Ioannou was not referred to him promptly enough by the doctor in Limassol because of their “personal differences”.

But he was quick yesterday to defend staff at the casualty ward for doing everything possible for the teenager.

“We can’t blame casualty staff for negligence as they have a heavy work load and always refer to me any cases that should be brought to my attention,” Alkiviades said.

And he added that there was also an onus on the patient himself to inform doctors of any strange sensations.

Medical Association chairman Antonis Vassiliou said yesterday an inquiry would be set up to look into allegations of professional misconduct and into the more serious claim of negligence.

“Conflicts of interest and charges of professional misconduct have no place in this profession.

“Our aim is to serve the patient, and if this hasn’t happened then the association will apportion blame where it exists,” Vassiliou said.

However, he was careful to point out that negligence was not the same thing as charging a doctor with making a mistake.

“If a doctor has done everything he possibly can to reach a correct diagnosis but failed, this cannot be termed as negligence,” Vassiliou said.

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