Health Minister confirms AKEL’s denunciations

 

Statement by the Head of the Health Affairs Bureau of the C.C. of AKEL Athos Georgiou

30 August 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The letter of the Minister of Health and his criticism of the Board of Directors of the state health services (OKYPY) and its Executive Director was not at all surprising.

The essence of the confrontation concerns the inability of the (OKYPY) to implement announced health policies and projects, but also the government’s incompetence to exercise the required scrutiny over those it had appointed according to its own criteria. Everything contained in the Health Minister’s letter has been denounced by AKEL from time to time, but we faced brick walls and our views weren’t listened to.

We call on the government to take on its political responsibilities and correct its shortcomings and mistakes. It should find a solution with the OKYPY Board of Directors that it itself had appointed. At the very least, it should proceed with the implementation of the projects that have been announced. It should take into account AKEL’s proposals that have been submitted from time to time, but also those tabled by health professionals for upgrading public hospitals, fulfilling the commitment that was undertaken, following a proposal submitted by AKEL, for the elaboration of a roadmap with specific timetables and measures for the modernisation of the public health system. The government must support financially public hospitals that have taken on the burden of confronting COVID. It should treat health professionals and patients with the required respect.

We hope that this time the government will not again accuse AKEL of engaging in destructive opposition. After all, the Minister of Health of the Anastasiades government confirms what AKEL has been saying.  AKEL will intervene and facilitate any procedures and projects that benefit society and citizens. That is what we have done, that is what we are doing and that is what we shall continue to do.