A new health scandal surfaced on Friday regarding the embezzlement of more than €30 million for neurolysis over a period of two years, with treatments allegedly skyrocketing from 100 per year before Gesy to 4,500 after the national health system was introduced.
Paphos mayor Phedonas Phedonos, who reported the case in a video on social media, said the money could have funded the renovation of Paphos’ general hospital.
In his video, Phedonos said that 4,500 neurolysis treatments were performed in 2023 at a cost of over €17 million, while for 2024 so far there had been 3,300 treatments at a total cost of around €15 million.
These treatments, he said, should not have cost the taxpayer more than €1 million.
Phedonos explained that each treatment costs €3,200 for the doctor’s fee and clinic charges, while consumables were valued at €1,200, compared to €268 for the same materials in Greece.
The mayor said some conscientious doctors reacted to the cost of consumables and they were later reduced to €650.
Replying to Phedonos’ reports, state health organisation director Athos Tsinontides said no such complaint had been received and called on anyone with information to come forward.
Neurolysis is the application of physical or chemical agents to a nerve in order to cause a temporary degeneration of targeted nerve fibers. In the medical field, this is most commonly and advantageously used to alleviate pain in cancer patients.
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