Ministry to appoint new child specialist soon

THE HEALTH Ministry is close to finding a replacement for Makarios Hospital’s child neurologist Gula Stylianidou, who was recently killed in a car crash.

According to ministry spokesman Christos Kaisis, who was yesterday invited to the House Health Committee, efforts are being made to appoint one of the three private child neurologists that have contracts with the state for the purchase of medical services.

In the event that this fails and the extension of contracts is decided instead, he added, the ministry was thinking of offering Stylianidou’s two assistants scholarships so they can achieve their specialist degree in child neurology.

As Kaisis explained, the Ministry is in constant talks with the three child neurologists – two in Nicosia and one in Limassol – in a bid to convince them into taking up Stylinidou’s position.

Following the meeting, Committee Chairman Eleni Theocharous of DISY sought to reassure the parents of children who suffer from neurological conditions. The ministry, she said, had started procedures to fill the gap that has been created.

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