CYPRIOTS need to be told the truth about the National Health Scheme (NHS): it will not be up and running in the foreseeable future, nor will it resolve the public health sector’s many problems.
This assertion was made by the head of government doctors’ union PASYKI, Dr Stavros Stavrou, who yesterday launched a series of press briefings to inform the public on the state of the sector. Yesterday’s was about the shortages of medical consumables and equipment.
As always, Stavrou was caustic and straightforward when it came to addressing the problems. He spoke of “snitches” who rush to wrongly inform the Health Minister on the activities of other doctors, as well as the mistake of breeding false expectations that the NHS will miraculously save the sector.
“There is no NHS in the visible future and the truth needs to be told,” said Stavrou. “People need to stop using it as an excuse that it will somehow resolve the shortages and all the problems will automatically be fixed with the implementation of the NHS.
“I’m sorry but that is just mockery.”
Doctors, he added, had often made suggestions on how to make the system work more efficiently – such as changing the tenders’ procedures – but “unfortunately, even though they admitted our thoughts were right, in essence, they never adopted anything”.
Stavrou said it was heartbreaking for both doctors and patients to have to cancel surgeries and treatments, simply because there were no consumables.
“It is even more soul-destroying for the patient and sometimes even dangerous to postpone services they are in need of,” the doctor explained.
Doctors, he added, are even made to come up with various combinations and concoctions of medical consumables in order to help their patients, resulting in serious wastage and further deterioration of the shortage problem.
Regarding the public health sector’s long waiting lists, Stavrou said there was no way to reduce them as there was a lack of funds.
“We are forced to prioritise patients with the most serious problems. Even though this is a mistake in some ways, as someone with a minor condition can get treatment and return to work instead of having to take time off, thus burdening the economy,” he pointed out.
“The problems are many and this is either down to the suppliers, who are late delivering the consumables or the state because it is late making the relevant payments,” said Stavrou.
The union head was also asked to comment on recent accusations by Health Minister Christos Patsalides, that doctors are to blame for the long waiting lists and that there were more than enough consumables for them to carry on with their work.
“The minister was misinformed by snitches, who rushed to fill his head with the wrong information and effectively left him exposed,” said Stavrou.
