HEALTH MINISTER Christos Patsalides has ordered an investigation into the death of a 45-year-old father of two from Kato Pyrgos, who died in an ambulance on his way to Paphos, after reportedly being refused treatment at Nicosia General Hospital.
Patsalides yesterday confirmed an investigation had been launched into whether the capital’s hospital had indeed refused Georgios Savva treatment and, if so, why.
According to the village’s mukhtar yesterday, Savva was taken to the Pyrgos Medical Centre on Thursday after saying he was feeling unwell and was told that he had suffered a serious heart attack.
The on-duty doctor, according to Mukhtar Costas Michaelides, immediately notified Nicosia General Hospital, saying the patient should be transferred there by ambulance through the Limnitis checkpoint.
But Michaelides claimed the hospital refused the patient, saying Pyrgos’ medical centre was under the authority of Paphos General Hospital.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot army had given authorisation for the ambulance to pass through the checkpoint – which was opened last year after decades of negotiations between the two sides and which dramatically reduces the distance between Pyrgos and Nicosia.
Savva, whose ambulance was already by the checkpoint when ordered to divert to Paphos, suffered a second heart attack on the way, which proved fatal.
Now the deceased man’s family and friends are pointing the finger of blame towards the Health Ministry and especially Nicosia General Hospital.
Michaelides yesterday maintained that if Savva had been taken to Nicosia through the checkpoint, he would probably still be alive today.
Michaelides told reporters that he immediately contacted the Health Minister to report what happened, saying his community had fought hard for the Limnitis checkpoint to open – “with the first and main concern to stop people dying in ambulances on their way to Paphos”.
The village mukhtar said Patsalides was “infuriated” to hear about the incident and immediately ordered an investigation to find out the reasons why Savva hadn’t been taken to Nicosia.
The funeral of Georgios Savva, who leaves behind a wife and two sons aged 19 and 21, will be held today at the Constantinou and Elenis holy temple in Kato Pyrgos.
Minister Patsalides yesterday confirmed an investigation had been launched, but the hospital has remained tight-lipped since the incident came to light yesterday.
