There are “unacceptable shortages” of oncologists in Cyprus, state hospital doctors’ union Pasyki warned on Friday, saying that health organisation Okypy had not only failed to solve the problem, but had led to the degrading of their specialisation.

“The responsibilities of Okypy’s administration are serious. With its longstanding inaction, either due to indifference or inability to assert itself, it has systematically degraded the oncology specialisation, depriving patients and doctors of decent and complete oncology services,” Pasyki said.

Pasyki cited the radiotherapy services as a typical example, saying that, “despite having a clear perspective, the organisation took absolutely no action and essentially opted to hand the services over to the private sector”.

For this reason, Pasyki was reporting Okypy for “silent acceptance and inaction” regarding oncology clinic doctors being left to cover the needs of the whole system.

“The doctors are being forced to bear a disproportionate burden, without any support,” Pasyki said, asking “does Okypy want the existence and development of oncology clinics at state hospitals or has it decided to completely discredit them?”

It added that “discrediting oncology at state hospitals is not just an error in strategy, but a conscious choice that forces patients to be dependent on the private sector, and this is unacceptable, irresponsible and deeply antisocial.”

Pasyki said it didn’t expect Okypy to answer publicly or assume any responsibility.

“However, prolonging the current situation constitutes criminal neglect, with immediate consequences on the patients and the whole public health system,” Pasyki pointed out.