neonatal icu — neonatal icu — No lives are at risk due to the cancellation of the contract for the new neonatal intensive care unit at Makarios children’s hospital in Nicosia, according to Charalambos Charilaou, spokesman for the state health services organisation (Okypy).
Charilaou addressed concerns over the project during an interview with the Cyprus News Agency, emphasising the existing unit’s capabilities. He stated, “we did what we had to do,” referring to the need to terminate a contract that he described as both “problematic” and “at a dead end.”
Despite the delays, he reassured the public, saying that the current neonatal unit is staffed with “the best” personnel and equipped with “the best” technology. The primary issue, he noted, is a lack of physical space, as the unit is currently operating at 150 per cent capacity.
The cancellation, he explained, was mutually agreed upon with the contractor, allowing Okypy to avoid any legal disputes. Moreover, the organisation successfully recovered €1.3 million worth of guarantees following the contract’s termination.
Looking ahead, Okypy aims to secure a new contractor for the project, with plans for the new building to be completed by September 2027. The anticipated value of the new contract will remain at €6.4 million, the same as the previous contract.
However, the timeline has raised eyebrows among various stakeholders. The miracle babies association described Okypy’s assurances regarding a 2027 completion as “an illusory dream for premature babies and their families.”
Concerns have also been voiced by lawmakers. Disy MP Savia Orfanidou expressed disappointment that construction has yet to commence, while Akel MP Nikos Kettiros remarked on the lack of progress, noting only minimal preparatory work has occurred: “a fence was placed, and a couple of holes drilled in the ground.” He accused the government of “peddling promises and hot air” regarding the unit.
Diko MP Chrysanthos Savvides highlighted the urgency of the situation, pointing out the risks posed to newborns due to the existing unit’s overcapacity. “You realise that this puts at risk the lives of newborns, babies that is, who should be born at 36 or 38 weeks but instead are being delivered at 26, 28 or 30 weeks,” he stated, stressing the critical need for timely improvements to the facility.
