A DIABETIC Congolese asylum seeker who died in a Nicosia hotel on Monday suffered a heart attack, according to state coroner Sophocles Sophocleus’ post mortem report yesterday.
Asked if Antoine Bassumga’s death was related to his diabetes, Sophocleus said his arteries had narrowed and he could not confirm whether Bassumga’s irregular diet, brought on by a benefits’ cuts in recent weeks, triggered the attack.
Dr Doros Loizou, specialist in internal medicine and diabetes, said such a death was likely the result of long term physical deterioration and not short term dietary changes.
“Most likely he was in a bad condition for several years. Diabetes affects veins, vessels and heart.” Loizou said that if he had been Hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar) for many hours without help, he could have suffered a stroke or heart attack as a result.
Bassumga’s death was therefore unlikely to be the direct result of welfare services cancelling his benefits. However, the incident has highlighted serious administrative problems within the Labour ministry and a thorough investigation is now underway
Labour Minister Sotiroula Charalambous yesterday expressed her sorrow and sympathy to the family, and said that immediately after hearing about the incident she launched an administrative inquiry into her ministry’s handling of the case. The results of this investigation will be publicised.
The ministry’s permanent secretary George Papageorgiou confirmed the investigation was underway. He said: “The ministry is investigating the event and we expect to have gathered enough information to issue a statement by tomorrow (Wednesday) morning to issue a statement.”
DISY MP Stella Kyriakidou said that Bassumga’s death raised questions and concerns and, in a written statement, called upon the Ombudswoman to investigate. Kyriakidou said: “We are calling for immediate answers from the appropriate ministry about the handling of the supply of medical treatment (to Bassumga)”
One question will no doubt address the evident disagreement over policy between welfare and labour offices, despite both being in the same ministry.
According to the anti racist charity, KISA, the welfare service said Bassumga was entitled to conduct light work and so sent him to the labour office.
The labour office reportedly has three categories into which labourers can fall; those who are healthy and capable of manual labour, those with health problems who can carry out light work and those with serious problems who cannot work.
KISA claims the welfare office cancelled his benefits while they waited for the labour ministry to assign him a position and send him back with a confirmation letter.
The labour office reportedly said asylum seekers could only carry out manual labour, such as agricultural or construction work. In the mean time, with no money, Bassumga failed to pay his rent and began borrowing money for food from his friends.
Neither the permanent secretary nor a spokeswoman for the welfare office could confirm these points last night.
Another issue that could be under investigation is the allegedly unequal treatment of asylum seekers from different countries. Bassumga, like his three Congolese friends who spoke out on Monday, had been waiting for refugee status for several years. He attended at least two interviews with the asylum service in the past two years yet had not received even an initial decision on his status.
In contrast, Bassumga’s friends say, Middle Eastern asylum seekers’ applications are processed in a matter of weeks; something they say is based on skin colour, and reflects a discriminatory policy.
The results of the ministry’s investigation were due to be released today, according to Papageorgiou.
ERRATUM
In Monday’s article, Asylum seeker dies after benefits cut, we published that paramedics refused to take away the body. This was incorrect, as there are no paramedics in Cyprus.
