MANY HEART patients are being forced to the private sector as the Limassol General Hospital remains without a Head for the Cardiological Department.
There is currently nobody in charge of the Cardiological Unit of the Hospital as Dr Yiannis Courides, who has been appointed to the post, has not undertaken his responsibilities yet. The problem that has developed at the hospital involves the procedure of angiograms, with Courides refusing to carry out such a procedure without surgical cover.
The waiting list is growing longer with the President of the Cardiological Association in Cyprus Cristakis Charitos calling on the Health Minister to act immediately to rectify the situation which was developing.
“I blame the Health Minister as he should have forced the doctor to carry out the angiograms. If for any reason however the doctor did not want to do this, then we had to look for someone from the private sector to take on these duties,” he said.
“The minister and I are not looking good at the moment simply because the doctor refuses to carry out angiograms. With today’s circumstances, the doctor does not need to be concerned. The doctor can carry out surgery without this surgical cover, despite the fact that the Health Ministry has even offered it to him.
Health Minister Charis Charalambous said that he had provided Dr Courides with additional information and was expecting his reply very soon.
“We have talked with Mr Courides and I have sent him a final letter detailing the final position of the Ministry and am awaiting for his final response. I have called on him to visit the clinic with which we have an agreement and talk with the surgeon about this co-operation.
“I have also told him to speak with another doctor about his previous experiences at the Limassol Hospital and have also proposed to bring in a private doctor or a specialist if it will make him feel more secure during the first few such procedures he will carry out.”
“I have done everything I can from my part and all that is left is for Dr Courides’ response,” he said
The minister added that negotiations were in place for finding a Greek specialist who would be in a position to train other doctors that lacked experience.
“There are discussions to bring in a Greek cardiologist to work at the Hospital and train others who are just not ready to carry out such procedures. Therefore we are trying to solve the problem of training new members as well as covering for the clinic,” he said.
Charalambous also stated that people should not worry for no reason and reiterated that nobody’s life was at risk.
“We are using our agreements with the private sector to the fullest and patients are sent to private health institutes and nobody is left uncovered,” he added.
