Newsroom
The challenges of doctor shortages and operational inefficiencies at Famagusta General Hospital were brought before the Parliamentary Health Committee, with lawmakers and medical professionals raising concerns over staffing and working conditions.
Discussions included a proposal to extend the retirement age for certain "irreplaceable" doctors, a measure opposed by the Cyprus Public Hospital Doctors’ Union (PASYKI), which argued it would not solve the underlying problem. PASYKI also submitted a list of doctors who left public hospitals before reaching retirement age.
Social Insurance Services representatives warned that adjusting the retirement age selectively could be unconstitutional and stated that a general extension was unnecessary, given that life expectancy in Cyprus has only risen by 15 days.
Committee Chairman Efthymios Diplaros (DISY) acknowledged the urgency of the matter, citing the imminent retirement of 25 doctors. He urged the State Health Services Organization (OKYPY) to find temporary solutions to retain experienced doctors while recruiting replacements. He also criticized OKYPY’s management of Famagusta General Hospital, stressing the need for better working conditions and immediate interventions to improve services.
AKEL MP Nikos Kettiros questioned the criteria for deeming doctors "irreplaceable" and emphasized that the problem extends beyond retirements, as many doctors leave for other reasons. He described Famagusta General Hospital’s situation as dire, with only one internist available and some shifts being managed remotely from Nicosia. Patients have even resorted to protests due to inadequate staffing and care, he noted.
DIPA MP Michalis Yiakoumi pointed to the recent resignations of two internal medicine doctors who played a crucial role during the pandemic. He criticized arbitrary decision-making and administrative obstacles affecting medical professionals, warning that such issues degrade the quality of healthcare. He also addressed disparities between public and private sector conditions, stressing that public hospitals must remain the backbone of the healthcare system.
With tourism inflating the local population during summer months, MPs and medical experts alike are calling for urgent reforms to ensure Famagusta General Hospital can meet demand and provide adequate care.
