RESIDENTS of the remote Paphos district village of Pyrgos Tyllirias have blamed inadequate emergency provisions for the death on Monday of a former Paphos school teacher.
The Health Ministry yesterday insisted there was nothing that could have saved the man.
But villagers say Costas Charalambides died because the Rural Health Centre was not well equipped, the duty doctor was not a cardiologist and the area’s only ambulance was busy accompanying a Radiomarathon charity march.
However, state pathologist Eleni Antoniou said yesterday that Charalambides had died after suffering a massive stroke.
“He had suffered a stroke a year ago and this was his second stroke, which was fatal. There was nothing that could have been done to save him. He was already dead by the time the helicopter arrived to pick him up to take him to hospital,” said Antoniou.
Responding to the villagers’ complaints yesterday Health Ministry medical services head Constantinos Mallis told the Cyprus Mail that one ambulance was enough to cover the area’s medical needs, as were the number of duty doctors.
“There are two doctors who work at the health centre and are on call in turn. There are also three nurses for the region and one ambulance,” he said.
“On Sunday, we had the Radiomarathon and, like every year, the ambulance was sent to Pomos to accompany a charity march to Polis Chrysochous. The ambulance needed to be there because there were cyclists and walkers and something could have happened to one of them,” said Mallis.
Something did happen, but not in Pomos. Instead, Charalambides was found lying unconscious in his home in Pyrgos, a good distance away from Pomos. The Rural Health Centre was called but no ambulance was able to fetch him.
“That’s not a problem though since the doctor rushed out to see him in person and was able to transport him back to the Health Centre. There was nothing the doctor could have done but to put him on a drip because he had suffered a massive stroke,” said Mallis.
At this point, the ambulance was called back and arrived at the centre within 30 minutes to transport the patient to an airstrip five or six kilometres away, where a helicopter had been called to take him to hospital.
“By the time he was taken to the helicopter though he was already dead,” he said.
Mallis explained this was just one of cases where no degree of medical intervention could help. “The fact the ambulance was away was not the problem. One ambulance covers the area’s needs sufficiently and a second ambulance is not needed. This is the only time of the year it moves to Pomos to follow the Radiomarathon,” he said.
He added: “This was an unfortunate incident. It happens to everyone. The family hasn’t complained I’m told. Instead the complaints are coming from the media and the village residents.”
