A €4.1 million investment in the renovation and expansion of the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) at Nicosia General Hospital aims to substantially improve the conditions for receiving and caring for patients and make staff’s demanding work easier, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday at the department’s opening.
The President said health and education were the Government’s most important priorities and were treated as investments, rather than decisions of an economic nature. People who visit A&E departments, he added, need to be examined promptly, informed about their condition and given appropriate care.
Christodoulides highlighted two changes at the department: a dedicated area where relatives can speak with a doctor and receive information about a patient’s condition, and a rest area for staff. He said that looking after working conditions and providing a suitable environment for medical and paramedical staff also helps strengthen their efficiency.
Speaking about his personal experience, he said he had visited A&E twice, most recently when he had to wait briefly. “On both occasions when I had to bring my daughters, the response was exemplary. And I want to thank you warmly for your response,” he said.
Projects at public hospitals
The Nicosia A&E upgrade, he said, formed part of efforts concerning all public hospitals, and he expressed confidence in their capabilities in every district. At Nicosia General Hospital, the extension of the fourth floor, which houses the Neurology Clinic and the Stroke Unit, has been completed. The next goal is to establish an Infectious Diseases Unit.
An extensive upgrade programme is being implemented at Makarios Hospital. It includes a new building for the Paediatric A&E Department and renovations to the Gynaecology and Paediatric Surgery Clinics, as well as the paediatric wards. Work is continuing on a new floor to house the Thalassaemia Centre and the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Plans are also progressing for a new, model Paediatric Oncology Clinic, with a significant contribution from the private sector.
At Limassol General Hospital, the creation and expansion of the Haemodialysis Units have been completed, while a new High Dependency Unit is being developed. An Infectious Diseases Unit and a Day Care Unit are also planned, along with the upgrade and expansion of A&E. Renovation of the Radiology Department is under way at Larnaca General Hospital. At Paphos General Hospital, general improvement works are nearing completion, while plans call for the second floor of the new building to be fitted out for an Oncology Department and care for patients with thalassaemia.
The plans also include a new hospital in Polis Chrysochous, an investment of €17 million, the second phase of mental health projects, and the renovation and upgrading of Troodos Hospital. Energy and construction upgrades are under way at Famagusta General Hospital.
The President said each project addressed specific needs of patients and healthcare professionals. He thanked the doctors, nurses, porters, reception and cleaning staff, and technical services staff at A&E for their professionalism and for continuing to care for patients without complaints despite the additional difficulties while the works were being carried out. He added that staff knew better than anyone what the department needed to function even more effectively and that the Government was ready to hear their suggestions.
He also said that cooperation with the Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations (OSAK) and the Pancyprian Medical Association concerned the improvement of health services, as did the work relating to patients. He thanked everyone who worked on the project and made special mention of the European Union’s co-financing through the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Finally, he said plans were being studied for new co-funded programmes worth more than €3.5 billion, which would be decided by the Council of Ministers in September 2027. He reiterated that health was high among the Government’s priorities and said it was receptive to proposals.
Source: CNA
