Cyprus-Forum.com

[Oracle]

Of course, all the insurance in the world is meaningless if (god forbid) one had an accident in a region with only thirld world hospital facilities.

On the other hand, the RoC-free area is one of the top places in Europe for medical care ...

[halil]

Of course, all the insurance in the world is meaningless if (god forbid) one had an accident in a region with only thirld world hospital facilities.

On the other hand, the RoC-free area is one of the top places in Europe for medical care ...

Indeed ..............

It’s impossible to see 30 patients in six hours’
By Alexia Saoulli

Health Ministry plans to poach gynaecologists from Nicosia’s Makarios Hospital to staff other district hospitals will have detrimental effects on patient care, doctors warned yesterday.

“If the ministry goes ahead with its plans it will drive the department to dissolution. No longer will Makarios Hospital be a national reference centre for both public and private hospitals. Instead it will be a peripheral hospital,” said Dr Agathoclis Christofides, deputy head of Makarios hospital’s gynaecology department.

Christofides said the problem was staff shortages at other district hospitals’ gynaecology departments including Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos. He said each of the three hospitals not only lacked doctors but also lacked department heads.

“Instead of creating new jobs and hiring more staff they want to take three or four of our own seven doctors which will destroy us,” he said.

“The solution the ministry has come up with will make things worse. They want to take trained, experienced and specialised doctors away from Makarios Hospital. Instead of acting as a point of reference we will turned into a periphery hospital. Instead of trying to improve the other hospitals they will destroy the one good one we have,” he added.

Christofides said the doctors were trying to put stop to the ministry’s plans before it went ahead with their implementation.

“The letters started last year. Then again a couple of months ago and now they have given us a September 4 deadline. Our aim is that this doesn’t go ahead,” he said.

If the plans did go through, however, the doctors would definitely take counter measures, he added.

“At the moment I am supposed to see 10 patients a day and to spend 30 to 45 minutes with each one. Instead I see 30 patients. It’s impossible to see 30 patients in six hours. It’s already 1.30pm and I have another 10 to 15 patients waiting to see me. I am already tired and it’s only natural that they are going to complain with the long waiting times. Can you imagine what it will be like when we lose doctors? What we need are more doctors here, not fewer,” he said.

But a spokesman for the Health Ministry said the doctor’s reaction was exaggerated.

He said letters had been sent out to the Makarios hospital gynaecology department doctors as part of the ministry’s “preliminary thoughts on how to reorganise and restructure all hospitals’ gynaecology departments across the island”.

“We just sent out letters to all deputy heads asking if any would be interested in a transfer to Larnaca, Limassol or Paphos to head the gynaecology department there. If there are any acceptances to the offer then that doctor will not be moved without first being replaced by another doctor. We have no intention of reducing the number of doctors at Makarios hospital to go to another hospital,” he said.

The Health Ministry official said the September 4 deadline was purely set so that the medics did not delay in giving the ministry a response.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=47507

[Tim Drayton]

And you're not allowed to take hire cars into the occupied area.

It is not correct information . U have to inform the company .

we did have a visitor from France . He came to Cyprus from Larnaka airport . he rented a Z car from south (larnaka) . He drove his car true the Kermia (Metehan Check) point .He insured the car at boarder for 3 days (20Euro) . Insurance can be montly or at least for tree days (which is third party). He stayed for 3 days in Nicosia and return back to France this morning . He will come back again on Monday evening using same root stay in north till we finish our work .

This means that if the vehicle suffers any damage on the other side of the green line, the hirer will have to make it good out of his/her own pocket, right?

[GTraveller]

As I understand it, Fully Comprehensive and Third Party insurance is available. Cant imagine why anyone would go for third party at all (even if it was for just 3 days)!

One other concern is that breakdown cover doesn't include use in the North. Hire firms will exchange a car should it breakdown in the south but could be a problem if a breakdown occurs in the north. Although breakdown cover is available at the crossing I believe?
But modern cars are reliable ......... right?

[Tim Drayton]

As I understand it, Fully Comprehensive and Third Party insurance is available. Cant imagine why anyone would go for third party at all (even if it was for just 3 days)!

One other concern is that breakdown cover doesn't include use in the North. Hire firms will exchange a car should it breakdown in the south but could be a problem if a breakdown occurs in the north. Although breakdown cover is available at the crossing I believe?
But modern cars are reliable ......... right?

That is because it is compulsory. There is an insurance office at the crossing point and you must get third-party insurance there. I think 20 euro is quite steep considering that a lot of people just cross over for a few hours. You have to show your insurance policy as you pass the checkpoint, and you can't pass through unless you have it.

[GTraveller]

Tim,

Insurance is compulsory, yes I would agree ......... but can be fully comp instead, and not necessarily third party?

[Tim Drayton]

Tim,

Insurance is compulsory, yes I would agree ......... but can be fully comp instead, and not necessarily third party?

I don't know about that. If we are talking about the insurance you have to take out in order to cross the line, there is only one policy available as far as I know, and it is third party.

[Tim Drayton]

Putting my era to the wall, I have heard two rumours, neither of which I can vouch for:

1- Avis will, if you tell them in advance that you plan to cross into the ocupied area, provide fully comprehensive cover for the whole island at an increased cost. You would probably still have to take out the mandatory insurance at the crossing point.

2- The option of fully comprehensive insurance is now available at the crossing points at a cost of 70 euro instead of 20 euro.

Quite frankly, I think you should discuss these points with the car hire company as they are bound to be better informed than any of us here.