Children’s A&E to operate at Nicosia General within the month, minister says

Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela said on Tuesday that the children’s accident and emergency (A&E) department at Nicosia General is expected to start operating later this month.

In October, initial plans to have the children’s A&E located at Makarios hospital were changed, and the state health services organisation (Okypy) and the health ministry reached an agreement to temporarily locate it at Nicosia General.

According to a report published by daily Phileleftheros then, the decision taken by the state health services (Okypy) to relocate the department is temporary, as Makarios hospital is currently being upgraded.

Speaking to CyBC on Tuesday, Hadjipantela said: “We have the space. A fully renovated space. I saw it on New Year. I am waiting to hear from Okypy about the start of treatment [there].”

He added that some doctors have already been hired, and that nurses will also be hired to staff the department.

Commenting further on the larger problem faced by overcrowding A&E departments, Hadjipantela said that after putting pressure on Okypy it was decided to create a separate department to examine patients that are not facing serious issues.

“Resources are not unlimited. We cannot go to the A&E for a simple issue,” he said.

The health minister added that this department will begin operating by the end of the month, and that he hoped it would help take the strain off the A&E departments.