The Cyprus nurses and midwives association (Pasynm) has issued an open letter demanding that auditor-general Andreas Papaconstantinou, provide evidence to support the allegations he made against two nurses during a recent parliamentary session.

The accusations were made during a session of the House audit committee on January 16, while discussing the audit office’s report on the central administration of the health services organisation (Okypy).

Papaconstantinou alleged that two nurses at a state hospital had “covered for each other” and “unjustifiably failed to report for duty”. He further accused the nurses of “misleading the organisation” by presenting false claims that they were working, when in fact, they had other jobs, all while continuing to receive their salaries.

In his statement, Papaconstantinou criticised the penalties imposed on the nurses, stating that the only consequence they faced was the loss of two bonuses. He argued that this sent the wrong message about the seriousness of such actions, particularly for an organisation of Okypy’s size and scope, which also aims for financial sustainability.

However, Pasynm has questioned the validity of these claims. The association pointed out that the allegations made by the auditor-general were not recorded in the official report on Okypy, and no concrete evidence had been presented to back up the accusations. Furthermore, the nurses involved were named in media reports, leading to what Pasynm considers an unfair public smear of the nurses and the nursing profession as a whole.

“We call on the auditor-general Papaconstantinou, to formally document and substantiate these allegations,” Pasynm’s statement reads.

“If such evidence exists, it should be submitted to Pasynm for review, so that the nurses can be referred to the nurses and midwives disciplinary council. If no evidence is available, we request that Papaconstantinou retract his statements and publicly apologise to the nurses and their professional body.”

Pasynm also expressed concern over the lack of thorough investigation into the issue, stressing that unfounded claims could tarnish the reputation of the nursing profession.

“If the allegations cannot be substantiated, these statements unfairly condemn the nurses and the nursing profession, as they create misleading impressions of unethical and unprofessional behaviour, particularly among state hospital nurses,” the association said.

The association reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the integrity of the profession.
“We do not accept hasty and unfounded generalisations or publications that could harm the professional reputation and dignity of nurses,” Pasynm continued.

“Such statements create misleading impressions of unethical and unprofessional behaviour, especially when focused on nurses in state hospitals.”

Pasynm also reassured the public that it remains committed to working with government bodies to ensure the integrity of the nursing profession and the protection of public health.

“We remain at the disposal of all relevant authorities and media outlets for any further clarification,” Pasynm stated.

“We believe in transparency, but if these claims are proven to be baseless, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard the profession.”