Famagusta, Cyprus. Disy vice-president Yiannis Karousos criticised the government’s latest health infrastructure announcements, saying no new projects were included for Famagusta district.
Call for clarification
In a statement issued on Monday, Karousos said President Nikos Christodoulides had referred to projects “in every district” and infrastructure “for every citizen, wherever they are”, but no investment was announced for Famagusta general hospital or another public healthcare facility in the district.
“The Famagusta district cannot continue to remain on the margins of state planning,” Karousos said.
He said Famagusta general hospital serves tens of thousands of permanent residents and experiences substantially higher demand during the summer due to the district’s tourism industry.
Karousos asked the government to explain why Famagusta was excluded from the latest investment plans and whether it considers the district’s existing healthcare infrastructure sufficient for its growing needs.
Hospital upgrade plans
He also called for clarification on plans to upgrade Famagusta general hospital, including the projects under consideration, their estimated cost and an implementation timetable.
“The citizens of Famagusta district are entitled to equal access to modern and high-quality healthcare services,” Karousos said, adding that the government could not claim to invest in every district while omitting Famagusta from its announcements.
Karousos said Disy expects “specific answers and, above all, specific projects.”
Government spending announcement
On Sunday, Christodoulides announced more than €60 million in new spending on health infrastructure.
The funding is to cover the second and third phases of the Athalassa psychiatric hospital, a new infectious diseases unit at Nicosia general hospital, upgrades to the intensive care unit and pathology department at Larnaca general hospital, and significant upgrades and maintenance works at Troodos hospital.
