State hospitals across Cyprus are suffering from a big shortage of doctors and the ministry is unable to make up the numbers, according to a leading health official.

Public hospital staff – most notably doctors and nurses – are currently at loggerheads with Health Minister George Pamboridis over a number of issues most notably over his plans to unroll a mini-NHS (National Health Scheme) sooner rather than later. Doctors claim that the ministry’s first priority should be to improve working conditions.

Doctors are also angry at attempts by MPs to raise their retirement age while nurses are also angry over their own current working conditions. Earlier this week, doctors said that they would slash the number of patient visits per day to less than half.

The disputed have led a to number of strikes taking place at state hospitals across the island, something that has stirred public opinion who have accused state medics of putting themselves ahead of sick patients .

The constant rows have led to an exodus of doctors – some of which are specialised in certain fields – and that replacing them is looking a tall order. Hospital medics are already understaffed as private clinics are currently offering better pay and working conditions.

“In some cases, those doctors resigning are unique in their field especially when it comes to state health and their void being left is almost impossible to fill,” said Public Health Services (MPHS) Department Director, Petros Matsas.

“But that is not the only problem. Out of the 750 doctors in public health, around 300 are temporary while out of the 2,000 nurses, 800 are temporary.”

Meanwhile, PASYDY (General Nursing Staff Union) head Prodromos Argyrides has spoken out against what he describes is “lack of hierarchy” at hospital wards that are being basically run by temporary nurses.