Nicosia, Cyprus. Trade union Pasydy’s nurses’ branch leader Prodromos Argyrides said violence against nurses and other medical staff at hospitals is a growing issue and remains unresolved.
He said incidents occur every two or three months in accident and emergency units and warned the situation could escalate beyond verbal abuse and minor attacks.
Recurring incidents and safety concerns
Argyrides told newspaper Phileleftheros that hospital workers are being attacked and that staff fear more serious incidents if no solution is found.
He said union representatives have spoken to the police to seek more intensive monitoring and noted that laws passed in recent months introduced more severe penalties for violence against medical professionals, but added that the situation is not changing.
Appeal to the public and patients’ groups
Argyrides said nurses in accident and emergency units are there to serve the public and provide needed healthcare, adding that they should not be seen as adversaries.
He called on the federation of Cyprus patients’ associations, Osak, to offer support and said it could help in efforts to manage the situation.
Staffing and past calls for action
Argyrides said about 200 nurses work in accident and emergency units around Cyprus and described them as dedicated to serving patients, adding that attacks against them serve no purpose.
Violence against medical staff has been an issue in Cyprus for years, and in 2024 the Cyprus medical association called for an urgent review of safety measures at accident and emergency units after a patient attacked staff at Nicosia general hospital.
What measures do you think could help reduce violence against nurses and medical staff in accident and emergency units?
