Polis Chrysochous hospital shortages worsen in tourist season

Mayor of Polis Chrysochous Yiotis Papachristofis has asked for the immediate intervention of the minister of health to solve the problems of the town’s hospital.

According to an announcement by the mayor, a letter was sent to the minister on the issue on Tueday. The hospital urgently needs a special pathologist to be appointed in order to function and be able to serve the community’s outpatients, as well as the ward of inpatients, the mayor said.

The special pathologist who had been removed to another post three years ago during the Covid-19 pandemic, had never been replaced despite repeated promises, Papachristofis said.

Inpatient wards have suspended their operation this week due to the absence of a cardiologist who is on summer leave and the nurses of the ward having been moved to Paphos, the statement added.

Most of the time only one ambulance crew remains available, which is inadequate to meet the increased needs of the wider Polis Chrysochous catchment area, especially during the summer tourist influx, the mayor said.

The mayor pointed out that, moreover, there is also a need for 24-hour operation of a radiology unit and a lab, to serve the hospital’s A&E.

The arrangement that had been made in the past for doctors from various specialties of the Paphos hospital to visit the town’s clinic every seven to fifteen days is not working, since Paphos hospital itself is understaffed, the mayor complained.