In Cyprus, a Pneumonia-Stricken Infant Was Sent Home Due to Lack of Hospital Beds

In Paphos, a one-year-old baby suffering from pneumonia was sent home because there were no available beds in the hospital.

Anna-Liza Kyprianou, the child's mother, spoke to Alphanews about the challenges within the healthcare system.

According to her, the incident occurred on October 19. Around 4:00 AM, she noticed her child was having difficulty breathing and went to the emergency department of Paphos General Hospital. The doctor who examined the infant identified lung damage through an X-ray and contacted the pediatric department to inform the on-call physician about the situation.

However, it is alleged that the pediatrician in the department, without examining the baby or consulting with a radiologist, decided to send the child home with a prescription for antibiotics. The on-call paramedic informed the mother that the hospital simply had no available beds.

Two hours later, the parents chose to take their child to Limassol General Hospital, where the infant was diagnosed with pneumonia and required hospitalization for four days.

The mother stated that despite the infant's oxygen levels being satisfactory during the examination at Paphos General Hospital, they dropped to 87 by the time they arrived at Limassol.

She claims this is not the first time a similar incident has occurred with her family at Paphos General Hospital. She recounted an incident a year ago when, at just five days old, her baby had jaundice, prompting her to visit the pediatric department to measure the bilirubin levels. This visit occurred after consulting with the family’s pediatrician and the on-call pediatrician.

According to her, despite diligently following the instructions given upon entering the ward, the medical staff initially refused to assist her without consulting the on-call pediatrician, who was waiting to examine the infant. They instead provided additional instructions for the infant's registration and requested a Covid-19 test for the five-day-old baby.

The parents and the family pediatrician have lodged a complaint with the OKYPY Health Organization, but they have yet to receive a response.