Doctors should be at state’s disposal in fight against pandemic

Cyprus Medical Association (PIS) President Petros Agathangelou has told CNA that the association has prepared a declaration of interest document for doctors so that they can express their readiness to take part in the effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak and that he has personally appealed to all members of the association to rise to the occasion and place themselves at the state’s disposal.

The Medical Association is in continuous contact with the Ministry of Health and has submitted its proposals, Agathangelou said replying to questions by the Cyprus News Agency.

“We are strengthening the effort for staffing needs and following that to plan and to distribute specialties in the correct manner where they are needed,” he noted.

He said that he has personally appealed two days ago to all Cyprus Medical Association members in a letter he sent them “to rise to the occasion and to respond to the State’s needs because we are health professionals and through our public mission, we should do our utmost in order to save our patients, save our citizens from this pandemic.”

Replying to a question on the association’s coordinating role he said that in order to further enhance interest by doctors, it has prepared a special document for doctors which they will submit to the association until 1200 hours local time today, adding that a list of interested doctors will then “be sent to the Ministry of Health in order for further capacity planning to be made.”

According to Agathangelou quite a few of his colleagues have been in touch with him already expressing their readiness to complete the document and to submit it, a development he is very happy about.

He recalled that about 95% of doctors are already in the state’s service through the new national health system which has been established in Cyprus, clarifying that for the national health centers which will be set up the specialties needed will be mainly general practitioners, family practitioners and pathologists. Other specialties, such as, pulmonologists, anaesthesiologists and ICU (Intensive Care Unit) doctors will then need to be distributed in hospitals, he added.

At the same time, he pointed out that the right equipment and conditions safeguarding the safety of health professionals should be in place.

Agathangelou also said that the medical association has proposed that testing for the COVID-19 is more widely available than it is now.