CANCER patients and relatives yesterday called an indefinite strike in Eleftheria Square to protest about what they say is the Health Ministry’s refusal to provide them with a state oncology centre.
The Ministry’s ulterior motive, they claim, is to create a monopoly for the services of the Bank of Cyprus (BoC) Oncology Centre.
Representative for the Committee of Cancer Patients and Relatives, Christos Andreou, said yesterday they would be staying put until the Health Ministry assured them they would be creating a State Radiotherapy Department.
But Health Minister Andreas Gavrielides said there had never been any plan to create a new Radiotherapy Department and sent a clear message to Andreou personally: “Mr Christos Andreou should stop manipulating the pain of patients in order to satisfy his own fanaticism.”
The Minister also accused Andreou of using the pre-election period to cause sensationalism.
According to Andreou, up until 2003, the Radiotherapy Department at the old general hospital needed to import cobalt, an element used for cancer therapy.
“Then the Health Ministry deliberately didn’t bring cobalt,” said Christou, adding that this could be backed up with the relevant documents.
And this, he said, was done so they could “break” the machinery and immobilise the Department, which would lead patients to the BoC.
“For two years, seven state officials were being paid around £12,000 a month and the Ministry made them not work, because they wouldn’t fix the radiotherapy equipment, which would cost £40,000. Which means the Ministry paid salaries of about £300,000 and forced public servants to be without work, and didn’t pay £40,000 to fix the equipment and give cancer patients a hope for life.”
In 2005, he continued, two more employees retired from the Department and another radiotherapist was transferred to another department, irrelevant to her expertise.
“The Health Ministry, in an attempt to destroy the State Radiotherapy Department and degrade the State Oncology Services and create a complete monopoly of the oncology services of the BoC, has decided to retract a radiotherapist and ’christen’ her a Security Operator, without her having the necessary qualifications.”
And one by one, the Department’s staff is running out, said Andreou.
“In a few days, the current head of the department is going to retire too, which means the department will be left with just one person to operate it, which makes it impossible for the Radiotherapy Department to work.”
Andreou also accused the Ministry of hiding the fact that there was an unused basement at the New Nicosia General Hospital, which would be ideal for a radiotherapy department.
The basement was initially going to be used as a Military Hospital, but the idea didn’t materialise.
“This area is massive, around 3,000 square metres, specially built to survive a bombing,” said Andreou. “There is adequate plumbing to provide water, electricity and reject waste from toilets and sinks.”
This area, he said, is entirely unused and in perfect condition to accommodate a Radiotherapy Department, Oncologists’ Surgeries and Chemotherapy Room.
And all this could be done with the least possible costs, a simple division with walls and an installation of desks and other equipment.
“Unfortunately, the Health Ministry and government are hiding the truth and misleading the public.”
The Committee has already provided the Ministry with money to begin proceedings, said Andreou, but there has been no response yet.
“And so, after all this, today Friday we will be giving a news conference in Eleftheria Square, we will submit documents and correspondence to the Health Ministry and we will begin an indefinite strike.”
The Health Minister yesterday strenuously denied giving Andreou assurances that the New General Hospital would be accommodating either an Oncology or a Radiotherapy Department.
“Despite this, the Ministry moved forward with the creation of a day care oncology department, to observe and advise cancer patients,” said Gavrielides.
And as for the BoC Oncology Centre, Gavrielides said it was funded by the state and therefore there was no need for the creation of a new department.
“Andreou asks questions and answers them himself,” he commented.
Andreou’s accusations that the Minister had appointed a member of staff in a position she was not qualified for were rebuffed by Gavrielides.
“I will not allow Andreou to indicate how we should manage our staff.”
As far as the strike was concerned, Gavrielides said there was nothing he could do to stop it. He blamed the timing of the protest on tomorrow’s parliamentary elections.
“The timing of Mr Andreou’s demonstration makes me wonder. If he is doing this to serve political purposes, then he is taking advantage of the pain suffered by cancer patients in the worst possible way,” the Minister said.
“I will think very seriously before I accept a visit by Mr Andreou again.”
