The Cyprus Nurses Union, PASIDI, has made serious claims about two recent heart attacks. They say these happened at Nicosia General Hospital. The union believes that poor care due to too many patients and not enough staff caused these emergencies. This situation raises questions about patient safety.
The patients were in hospital areas not suited for their medical needs. PASIDI says this happened because the hospital is too full. Savvas Iakovou, the union's secretary, stated that wards do not have enough staff. He blamed the State Health Services Organisation (SHSO). He said they did not hire enough experienced workers.
The SHSO admitted the hospital is overcrowded. However, they disagree that this caused the heart attacks. A spokesperson, Charalambos Charilaou, said overcrowding is a problem, especially with flu season. He thinks the union's claims are too strong. He also said heart attacks happen daily in big hospitals. He added that having 20 patients in normal wards is not very dangerous.
The problem is also linked to the 2026 health budget. The budget delay stops the SHSO from hiring more staff. This would help with the shortage of workers. One patient from these incidents is still in intensive care.
PASIDI wants leaders to meet urgently. They feel there is a growing crisis. These events show the problems in Cyprus's hospitals. The union believes these are not just single problems. They are signs of a bigger issue that needs fixing to protect patients.