Suspended doctors to go back to work at Makarios hospital

An administrative court on Thursday nullified the suspension of two doctors from Makarios hospital, who were suspended in connection the death of a 15-year-old girl.

The 10-page decision by the court said the suspension – ordered by the public service commission – was taken without proper investigation and justification.

Following the developments, the doctors are expected to go back to work on Friday. Both doctors were suspended in October on half pay for three months after a medical investigation against them began.

They filed an objection to their suspension saying it was unnecessary since the case file is already before the police.

The two doctors, together with a third doctor who is a university professor, are under investigation after a 15-year-old girl died following her kidney transplant at the hospital in March.

During the surgery doctors found that the girl, Ioanna Skordi, had tumours. She died a few days later on March 4.

Her family then filed a complaint to the police.

The girl’s parents are believed to have asked for her transferred to Israel, however local doctors said this was unnecessary. When health ministry director general Christina Yiannaki was informed about the case, a doctor from Israel was contacted to come to Cyprus.

However, the girl died before she was examined by the Israeli doctor.

A preliminary investigation showed possible medical negligence.