Patient, healthcare workers ‘assaulted’
THE head of the Cyprus Turkish Nurses and Midwives Union, İbrahim Özgöçmen, has called for greater security at state hospitals after a patient and staff at Girne Dr Akçiçek Hospital were “assaulted” during an incident last Sunday evening.
Mr Özgöçmen issued a written statement regarding the incident that said: “A female patient whose leg had been broken and was in a cast, was brought to Girne Dr Akçiçek Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department and treated after calling the 112 emergency number and requesting an ambulance.
“During this time, her boyfriend came to the emergency ward and threatened to kill our female patient.
“The attacker, who ignored the warnings of concerned citizens who saw this incident, attacked and assaulted those involved.
“After the physical attack and the death threat against the woman, our unit’s chief nurse Ali Bolat and Dr Cemil Yandaş, who were on duty in the emergency ward, put themselves in harm’s way by trying to stop the attacker.
“Thanks to the insufficient security personnel and concerned citizens, the attacker
was subdued, turned over to the police and a complaint was filed against him.
“We are calling out to the prosecutor’s office, police and all officials who have authority on the issue to draw their attention to the current state of our
emergency services and publicly . . . request that the necessary action be taken before a woman or a healthcare worker is killed.”
Mr Özgöçmen also called on the government to create new laws against violence towards healthcare workers.