Disy questions absence of Famagusta district from public hospital upgrade plans

Disy vice-president Yiannis Karousos has criticised the government’s latest announcements on public healthcare infrastructure, questioning why no new projects were announced for Famagusta district.

In a statement issued on Monday, Karousos said President Nikos Christodoulides had spoken of projects “in every district” and infrastructure “for every citizen, wherever they are”, yet no investment had been announced for Famagusta general hospital or any other public healthcare facility in the district.

“The Famagusta district cannot continue to remain on the margins of state planning,” Karousos said.

He noted that Famagusta general hospital serves tens of thousands of permanent residents and faces significantly higher demand during the summer months because of the area’s tourism industry.

Karousos called on the government to explain why Famagusta had been left out of the latest investment plans and whether it believed existing healthcare infrastructure was sufficient to meet the district’s growing needs.

He also asked the government to clarify its plans for upgrading Famagusta general hospital, including what projects are being considered, their estimated cost and the implementation timetable.

“The citizens of Famagusta district are entitled to equal access to modern and high-quality healthcare services,” he said, adding that the government could not claim to be investing in every district while omitting Famagusta from its own announcements.

Karousos said Disy expects “specific answers and, above all, specific projects.”

President Nikos Christodoulides on Sunday announced over €60 million in new spending on health infrastructure.

The funding, he said, will be spent on “the second and third phases” of the Athalassa psychiatric hospital, the creation of a new infectious diseases unit at the Nicosia general hospital, upgrades to both the intensive care unit and the pathology department at the Larnaca general hospital, and “significant upgrades and maintenance works” at the Troodos hospital.