Health minister orders probe into man’s death at Famagusta hospital

Health Minister Michael Damianos on Friday ordered an investigation into the circumstances of a 41-year-old man’s death at Famagusta general hospital, amid allegations doctors lacked the necessary knowledge to help him.

The man suffered from sickle cell anaemia and according to the national thalassaemia committee as well as the pancyprian sickle cell association, doctors had no communication or direction on how to treat the patient.

According to Phileleftheros which broke the story, the doctors “did everything humanly possible to save his life. But they did not have the necessary knowledge or specialisation to act immediately and effectively.”

The 41-year-old was admitted to Famagusta general hospital on Monday suffering from severe pain.

“Despite the fact that doctors did everything they humanly could to save his life, they lacked the necessary knowledge and specialisation to act immediately and effectively,” head of the national thalassaemia committee, Androulla Eleftheriou, said.

“By the time they figured out which doctor and which department would take over and carry out a blood transfusion, which is necessary in these cases, his condition deteriorated rapidly, resulting in his death.”

The man died on Wednesday, according to Phileleftheros.

Damianos has since moved to ask for a fact-finding report from the state health services (Okypy) to be delivered to him in one month.