A third complaint in a short period about inadequate care at Larnaca General Hospital has come to light, raising serious questions about the conditions of treatment and the operation of the public hospital.
The new case involves a 92-year-old patient who passed away after an eight-day hospital stay. The complaint comes from his daughter, who told state television about serious deficiencies, miscommunication and dangerous oversights during her father’s treatment.
According to the daughter, the 92-year-old was admitted to hospital with a minor stroke and remained for about five hours in the Accident and Emergency Department. He was then informed that he would be transferred to the Gregorios Clinic due to no available bed in the the Pathology Department. She claims that the transfer occurred without clear medical instructions, resulting in him being given food and tea despite being unable to swallow. She reports that he subsequently suffered aspiration into his lungs, which worsened his condition.
The daughter also alleges that the family was asked to sign consent for the patient to be restrained because, as they were told, he was restless. She claims that later, a member of the nursing staff admitted they had not been given instructions that the patient should not be fed. Meanwhile, the family requested, even using personal contacts, that he be moved to the Internal Medicine Department or the Intensive Care Unit, but without success.
The complaint also mentions delays in inserting a nasogastric tube, with repeated unsuccessful attempts by staff. According to the daughter, the procedure was initially postponed due to prior anticoagulant medication. When it was finally performed, it lasted only two minutes and posed no difficulty. However, after the tube was inserted, the 92-year-old’s condition reportedly deteriorated rapidly, leaving him in a stupor.
OKYPY: Instructions for investigation
Responding to the family’s reports, OKYPY spokesperson Charalambos Charilaou stated that no written complaint regarding this incident has yet been received, so the organisation cannot comment on the substance. “From the moment the complaint was made public, instructions were given for immediate investigation of the incident,” the statement says, noting that any official comment will follow the completion of the process.
OKYPY is already investigating two other cases reported over the past fortnight. The first concerns the death of 42-year-old Georgia following surgery. The report on that case was submitted to OKYPY’s Board late last week and is under review by the organisation’s Legal Department. The second case involves a complaint about the treatment of a 72-year-old patient.
PASYKI: Call for calm
With complaints about Larnaca General Hospital continuing to emerge, the Pancyprian Union of Government Doctors (PASYKI) today issued a statement urging calm and avoidance of premature conclusions. The union stressed that public reports are allegations and third-party accounts, and do not constitute verified or proven facts. PASYKI underlined that publicly targeting healthcare professionals before the conclusion of any official investigation undermines the rule of law and public trust, and considers it institutionally unacceptable to publish names or identifying details without protecting personal data. The union also highlighted systemic factors, such as staffing levels, working conditions, and available tools, noting that investigations must consider the role of the system and employer.
