Newsroom
More than 11,000 people sought treatment at the accident and emergency department of Famagusta General Hospital during the three summer months, placing fresh attention on the pressure exerted on health services in one of Cyprus' busiest tourist regions.
The department dealt with an average of around 120 cases a day throughout June, July and August, according to the State Health Services Organisation (Okypy).
The figures reflect a recurring challenge for the Famagusta district, where the population rises sharply during the summer as tourists and Cypriot holidaymakers head to the coast. Famagusta General Hospital's A&E department itself identifies the tourist season as a period of increased workload, while hotel occupancy in the district was expected to reach 80 to 85 per cent in August.
Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides said earlier this year that adequate staffing was essential to improving the quality of care at Famagusta General Hospital. The hospital has also faced repeated complaints about staff shortages, with nursing representatives describing understaffing as a chronic problem across the public health system.
Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said hospital staff were working under particularly demanding conditions, at times completing 12-hour shifts while dealing with an unpredictable number of patients and emergencies of varying severity.
The hospital's emergency department remains open around the clock and accepts patients requiring urgent medical attention without appointments or restrictions on the type of cases presented.
However, heavy attendance can result in longer waiting times, particularly during peak periods. Patients are not treated simply according to their arrival time, with medical staff instead using a triage system to determine who requires the most immediate care.
Life-threatening conditions, including heart attacks and strokes, are therefore given priority, meaning people with less serious medical problems may face longer waits.
Additional measures were introduced during this year's tourist season in an attempt to cope with the increased number of patients.
A fast-track clinic was set up during busy periods, with an additional doctor and nurse assigned to assess and treat patients whose conditions could be dealt with relatively quickly. The measure follows efforts to use fast-track services to reduce pressure on emergency departments by separating lower-risk cases from more serious emergencies.
A short-stay ward was also made available for patients requiring several hours of observation and further assessment before doctors decided whether they could be discharged. Staffing levels at the A&E department were strengthened across all shifts during the period of highest demand.
According to Charilaou, these arrangements were intended to improve the movement of patients through the department without compromising the priority given to genuine emergencies.
The organisation is now assessing the hospital's needs for next summer, using data gathered during this year's tourist season and the experience gained by staff.
The issue extends beyond the emergency department itself. Tourism creates a seasonal challenge for public services in Famagusta, where a hospital that serves the district's permanent population must also cope with a significant influx of visitors during the busiest months of the year.
The strain on the hospital has previously been recognised by government officials, who have pointed to the area's unusually heavy summer patient load and said staffing arrangements must be examined to ensure the system can operate effectively during the tourist season.
Charilaou said Okypy continued to examine ways of strengthening health services, particularly in areas where demand rises substantially during the summer.
For Famagusta General Hospital, however, the challenge remains one of matching resources to a population that can change dramatically with the seasons, while relying on medical and nursing staff to maintain emergency services under sustained pressure.
