Nurses, Midwives, and Doctors Unions Issue Joint Press Statement
The Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Nurses and Midwives Union and the Cyprus Turkish Physicians Union have recently spoken out about the challenges they are facing in providing healthcare services. In a press statement outside the Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital Oncology Department, union President İbrahim Özgöçmen criticized the Council of Ministers’ decision to ban their planned action for 60 days.
Özgöçmen expressed their willingness to respect the decision but also urged for a sensitive approach towards their issues. One major concern highlighted was the shortage of healthcare personnel, leading to an overwhelming patient capacity that exceeds bed availability. This situation creates a high-stress environment for staff, increasing the risk of fatigue, insomnia, and errors.
Additionally, Özgöçmen raised concerns about the employment of temporary workers without proper authorization from the Public Service Commission. Plans to take legal action on this matter were announced for Monday.
Dr. Özlem Gürkut, President of the Turkish Cypriot Doctors Union, echoed these concerns by emphasizing the rising health problems and workload faced by healthcare professionals. The unplanned population growth in the country has added to the workload of nurses, making it more challenging to provide quality care to patients.
Gürkut reiterated the unions’ commitment to delivering quality healthcare services but stressed that the current hospital conditions are inadequate. As the healthcare system grapples with these challenges, it is crucial for authorities to address the issues raised by the unions to ensure the well-being of both healthcare professionals and patients.
