Minister slams Okypy for delaying dialysis machines order

There will be tough talk with state health services organisation Okypy for delaying the order of 15 new blood dialysis machines at the Famagusta General hospital, said minister Michalis Hadjipantelas following a visit to the hospital and an apology to patients for having to wait so long.

“If I hadn’t come personally, the machines would never have been ordered,” the minister stressed, saying that he took it upon himself to solve a long-standing problem for suffering patients, by deciding to change all the equipment and buy an additional 15 machines.

They have yet to be ordered, with the minister adding that he had secured a written commitment from the company that won the tender to expect a three-month delivery at the most.

‘If anything changes, I will be notified personally’ he added.

As to the existing equipment, a maintenance of the system started today by the same company, in order to provide better care.

“I ask for people’s understanding,” the health minister said, after talking to patients and their families.

Early in the afternoon, he was expected to meet Okypy representatives and they were in for a tough reprimand, as he was not satisfied with the handling of the issue.