Pregnant women were waiting for hours in vain to be examined at the Paphos hospital’s gynaecology department on Tuesday, as recent understaffing problems have not yet been resolved and there was no doctor there to see patients.
According to state broadcaster CyBC, in the last two days, both gynaecologists working in the department have been on sick leave. The two doctors have been the only staff at the unit since two others who were suspended due to disciplinary offences, did not have their contracts renewed.
The health ministry, CyBC said, gave reassurances that as of Wednesday one of the two doctors on leave would return to his duties, while the second will return in a few days. Efforts are also underway to hire a third gynaecologist.
Due to the absence of the remaining two doctors, emergency cases are referred to the private sector, or to the Limassol hospital.
The problem, which affects around 80 pregnant women, sparked the ire of patients.
The Paphos gynaecology department, faced the risk of being closed down last month due to medical shortages as the only doctor at the time had collapsed from overwork, and the health ministry had to revoke the sick leave of the second doctor so he could return to his duties.
The doctor who had collapsed was reportedly pulling 24-hour shifts to cope with the workload, when the second gynaecologist was on sick leave. The hospital’s gynecology department originally had four gynaecologists, one of whom was removed several months ago in connection with the case of a prenatal death in August 2015, while another one was also removed last October following a number of complaints against him.
Irene Theodosiou, who was accompanying her heavily pregnant daughter on Tuesday to the hospital for examination, told the Cyprus News Agency, that there was no doctor to see her.
“Tomorrow I’m supposed to be discharged (from hospital) but there is no doctor to sign the papers,” another patient, Xanthoula Merakliyianni said.
Tuesday’s situation comes weeks after President Nicos Anastasiades announced that he would personally look into the issue of state hospital understaffing after the situation at Paphos hospital came to light.
In mid-June the government announced that it was looking to hire 28 doctors with specific specialties, to staff certain departments in all hospitals. State officials admitted that both the salary but also the work conditions in state hospitals were off-putting to doctors, who prefer to work in the private sector.
