New health centre launched

THE HEALTH Ministry yesterday made good on its word to improve its medical services with the launch of the Engomi Health Centre in the Nicosia district yesterday evening.

The Health Centre, which offers primary healthcare to everyone, including residents living outside Engomi’s municipal borders, has been operating since the end of last month.

Last night Health Minister Christos Patsalides officially opened the Centre in the presence of Engomi Mayor Dr Nikos Pavlides and other municipal council members.

The Centre aims to provide primary care to all patients and has been staffed with three general practitioners, a paediatrician and dentist, a Health Ministry official said yesterday.

“Engomi is a large municipality with 20,000 residents and we believe the Centre will do much to improve the area’s medical services,” he said.

The Centre will operate in the form of an outpatient clinic to offer medical services to members of the general public. Patients can drop in without an appointment for ailments such as a common cold, toothache, blood tests and dressing changes for wounds, the official said.

“If a patient’s condition requires more investigation he or she will be referred to Nicosia general hospital where there are specialist doctors,” he said.

The Centre was opened as part of Health Ministry plans to upgrade its primary care medical services. Other areas in the greater Nicosia district including Ayios Dometios, Strovolos, Lakatamia, Aglandjia, Kaimakli, Latsia and Geri already had health centres of their own, he added.

At present the Engomi Centre saw about 50 patients a day, he said.

“We expect this to increase a lot with the publicity we will be getting from tonight’s opening.”

Engomi’s mayor Pavlides said the new Centre was most welcome and would contribute greatly towards residents’ healthcare.

“So far if anyone got sick they went to the general hospital for treatment. Now their needs can be met here,” he said. “When the old Nicosia general hospital was open there was no need for this Centre because it was right on the border of Engomi. Now, however, it will be a great relief.”

The Centre is open daily from 7.30am to 2.30pm. On Thursdays it is also open from 3pm to 6pm.

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