Nurses at state hospitals will go on 24 hour strike tomorrow, Wednesday, to press their demand for action to resolve staffing shortages.
A spokesman for Pasyno (the Pancyprian Trade Union of Nurses) Theodoros Petelis told CNA that the union wanted to see implementation of the agreement reached with the state health services organisation (Okypi) on June 11.
He said the union had accepted that agreement and the timelines given, and a second proposal submitted by Okypi was worse. The aim is not to inconvenience or endanger the lives of patients, which was why staff will be available wherever necessary, he added.
There will be skeleton staff in the wards while the A&E will handle only emergency cases. Outpatient clinics will close and scheduled surgeries will be postponed. Departments which cater for patients who need special treatment such as dialysis, oncology, hematological and child oncology, will operate as normal.
Petelis said the proposal given by Okypi yesterday was worse that the one they had already accepted.
“What we received yesterday was an amended proposal which was worse that the previous one. Whereas the initial proposal referred to the hiring of 100 nurses in June and gradual appointments by September in order to reach the number of 300 and to make the ambulance service autonomous, the new proposal refers to 150 appointment of nurses and that the ambulance service will not become autonomous but that this will be take place after six to 12 months, something which is particularly concerning,” he said,
The union had discussed the issue with colleagues at Pasydy and decided that it cannot be accepted which was why they are sticking to their decision to stage the 24 hour strike.
