Mothers of children receiving cancer treatment at the paediatric oncology ward of Makarios Hospital have described what they say is a daily struggle caused by construction work, staff shortages and delays in patient transport, calling for immediate measures to protect vulnerable children.
Speaking to Phileleftheros, Elena Panayiotou, whose seven-year-old daughter was treated at the hospital, and Christiana Karageorgiadi, whose 16-year-old son remains hospitalised, said children in immunosuppression were being exposed to noise, dust and disruption from works taking place directly above and beside the ward.
The mothers said construction was underway on the second floor of the hospital, in the paediatric surgery department directly above the oncology ward, while work on the new children’s accident and emergency department was taking place next to patients’ balconies.
They questioned why further work was needed in the paediatric surgery ward after renovations were completed in 2023 through an initiative by the “Mikroi Ethelontes” association.
According to the mothers, problems began in early January. They said parents raised concerns after the health minister visited the ward on February 12, followed by visits from House President Annita Demetriou, representatives of the state health services organisation Okypy and Makarios Hospital management. On February 19, three mothers met President Nikos Christodoulides.
The mothers said officials showed interest, but the problems remained unresolved. They said they were told on February 20 that heavy construction work would finish within 10 days, but claimed that the commitment was not kept.
For about a week, they said, there was an informal arrangement under which noisy works were carried out at agreed times after consultation with doctors, before conditions deteriorated again.
The mothers said doctors and parents were never meaningfully consulted before or during the works.
“The works are above our heads,” they said, adding that there should be daily coordination with doctors, especially when children required surgery or conditions on the ward demanded quiet.
They also complained of dust and infrastructure problems during the works, saying pipes filled with soil, red water came from showers in one case, and part of a kitchen ceiling collapsed with water leaking through.
The mothers said doctors at times had to shout to hear one another because of the noise. They also criticised a decision to provide children with headphones to listen to music during the construction, saying some children could not use them.
The women said they were also worried about future works planned at the nearby maternity and gynaecology department and called for preventive measures, including discussions with doctors, dust controls and possible air filters.
They described repeated delays in ambulance transfers to Nicosia General Hospital for scans and specialist examinations unavailable at Makarios Hospital, including MRI and CT scans.
Children were often left waiting in the accident and emergency waiting area until ambulances returned, they said. One mother said they recently waited one hour and 40 minutes.
The mothers also raised concerns over staffing shortages, despite praising medical and nursing staff for their support and professionalism.
They said too few nurses were covering the ward’s needs and called for permanent care assistants assigned exclusively to the paediatric oncology unit to reduce the risk of spreading infections between wards.
The mothers also called for a full-time social worker dedicated to the ward, saying families currently relied heavily on one another for guidance on procedures and support.
They raised concerns over food services after evening shifts ended, saying dinner was now served from 5 pm. According to the mothers, children undergoing chemotherapy should eat meals within an hour of serving and should not consume reheated food, forcing many families to buy meals from outside the hospital.
The women also called for stronger educational support for hospitalised children, saying there was currently one primary school teacher and one kindergarten teacher assigned to the ward, while secondary school pupils received home-based teaching from temporary staff selected by the education ministry.
Despite the complaints, the mothers acknowledged psychological support provided at the hospital and praised charities and volunteer organisations supporting families at the paediatric oncology ward, including the Pancyprian Association of Parents of the Paediatric Oncology Clinic, the Alkinoos Artemiou Foundation, Mikroi Iroes, the Elpida Foundation and Ena Oneiro Mia Efchi.
They said volunteer groups regularly provided bottled water, organised activities and birthday celebrations for children, and helped families travelling abroad for treatment.
“The smallest help matters,” the mothers said.
