Dora Christodoulou
Strong reactions are recorded in Paphos regarding the reopening of the Pediatric Clinic of Paphos Hospital, after the abolition of the Covid ward that operated on its premises during the period of the pandemic outbreak. A Paphos MP has already taken official steps, while parents of children with a letter of protest complain of significant deficiencies in safety and hygiene.
AKEL Paphos MP, Valentinos Fakontis, sent a letter to the Executive Director of OKYPY regarding the urgent need to restore the Pediatric Clinic of Paphos Hospital to the 2nd floor where it operated before the creation of a ward for 19 patients with Covid. According to the letter, the newly elected MP of Paphos, the Pediatric Clinic of Paphos Hospital continues to operate on the 4th floor of the Hospital, despite the fact that the ward for patients with Covid-19 has closed and all other clinics have returned to the wards where they used to operate. .
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“The Pediatric Clinic is a vital department for the provision of health services for children throughout the province of Paphos, as well as for tourists visiting our province,” said Mr. Fakontis. “It is impossible for a 5-bed ward as it operates today to be able to meet these increased needs, while until recently the clinic on the 2nd floor operated with 18 beds, which were always full during the winter with the outbreak of infections.
In addition, the space on the 4th floor is considered unsuitable for children as for the needs of pediatric patients a single and a quadruple room was provided, which has a shared toilet (children and attendants), while children of different ages, from infants to teenagers, and children “Feverish, febrile, contagious infections or children undergoing surgery are being treated in the same area as the tragic consequences for the health and safety of children in need of inpatient care.”
Finally, the AKEL MP observes, the ward on the 4th floor is unsuitable for hosting children as it does not meet the required specifications to safely serve the hospitalized children. The delay observed in the restoration of the Pediatric Clinic of Paphos Hospital causes many and serious problems for this and OKYPY is called to immediately proceed to its restoration to the 2nd floor and restoration of the normal operation of the pediatric department.
Parents who had to transport their little girl for treatment at Paphos Hospital, also complain in a letter that their child was taken to a bed on the 4th floor of the maternity clinic, where pregnant women were treated a short time ago.
'' The maternity clinic is located on the 4th floor, pediatrics is now housed there with 5 beds, with the result that the children are confined to their room, without having a playground, as it had on the ground floor that was located before the pediatrics, to be able to do some activity, a TV lounge to watch some children's series and all this for baby psychological reasons.
For security reasons all the windows are sealed and all the doors have locks. In case of an earthquake or fire, children, parents, medical and nursing staff are trapped, as the doors to the exit stairs are locked ''.
The protesting parents are wondering what will happen to the pediatric clinic of Paphos Hospital in case more than 5 children fall ill, since there are so many beds.
