State is obligated to provide quality healthcare, says House president Annita Demertriou

House president Annita Demetriou on Friday said the state’s goal is to ensure that every citizen can benefit from a good level of healthcare.

Speaking after a visit to the neonatal unit of Nicosia’s Makarios Hospital, Demetriou also assured that parliament will exercise control over serious issues related to the health system discussed during House committees.

She then praised the staff working at the unit “for their dedication and their hard work.”

“Makarios Hospital continues to be a very important structure for the state’s health system, especially for our children,” she said.

Demetriou also added that the House committee on health will be monitoring the operations of the hospital and especially of the neonatal unit, paying particular attention to potential complaints and weaknesses that might arise in the future.

Over the past months, nurses working at Makarios Hospital have complained of severe understaffing at the neonatal unit.

According to the general-secretary of nurses union Pasyno, Panayiotis Georgiou, there are 90 available positions for nurses at the unit in the organisational chart, however, only 80 have been filled.