Hadjipantela visits Famagusta general hospital, update on four-year-old with Strep A

The four-year-old girl who was transferred to Israel with Strep A infection has shown slight signs of improvement, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela told the Cyprus News Agency on Thursday during a visit to the Famagusta general hospital.

“We hope to receive news of even further improvements in the next days, so that she can come back to Cyprus soon.”

The transfer operation was one of the health minsitry’s biggest ever operations and was facilitated with specialised equipment brought by the Israeli team.

The patient was accompanied by a large staff of doctors, a paediatric surgeon, and a nurse, both of whom are specialised in the use of the extracorporeal circulation machine, as well as a technician.

The girl is the first hospitalised case for invasive group A streptococcal disease following the recent outbreak and over a dozen child deaths in the UK.

Hadjipantela also added that the Famagusta hospital’s haemodialysis unit will be finally up and running at the beginning of 2023.

“I was very pleased to see that the unit will be ready to operate at the beginning of the new year and will be at the disposal of our doctors and patients around January 9 or 10.

“The unit was a very important project that we managed to open it after countless battles and unexpected setbacks. The machines are ready. Should the unit need to be strengthened with more personnel, we will certainly see to it.”

The health minister also held conversations with several doctors and nurses, as well as patients at the hospital during his visit.

“I wanted all of them to feel that we are by their side, that we are listening to them, and that we are working towards solving all issues they are experiencing,” he said.

He added that in the next few days he will also pay a visit the Paphos general hospital.