Suspend flights into North Cyprus for at least one week, Turkish Cypriot doctor says

Current Covid-19 patient numbers are manageable for the time being, “However, if this number increases rapidly, entry to the island should be stopped for a while (minimum one week) so that services and employees can recover”, former Chief Physician of Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital in Lefkosa Bülent Dizdarlı, has said. 

In a post on social media, Dizdarlı emphasized that there is not even a moment to lose in the next period, and listed the steps to be taken.

He said that the construction of a 100-bed pandemic hospital had taken time to get off the ground. He said thankfully the foundations are about to be laid.

Dr Dizdarlı added that It should not be forgotten that there will be a need for sufficient numbers of people to staff the hospital. It is already clear that there is a shortage of nursing staff in our state hospital. With a simple calculation, at least forty-five nurses are needed in this new pandemic hospital to be constructed. These nurses should be recruited through the Public Service Commission before the pandemic hospital is completed. No staff from the existing hospital should be used. 

Of course the hospital equipment should be ready for use when the building is finished, he noted.

The former chief physician also said that blood plasma should be collected from Covid-19 patients 15 days after tests ensuring that they have been cured. This plasma contains a high count of antibodies and should be stored for use when needed.

He pointed out that In the USA, this method of treating Covid-19 patients with plasma containing antibodies, said to decrease the symptoms of the disease,  has been accepted and put into routine use.

Although the WHO approaches plasma therapy with caution, it is inevitable that every country will put this treatment into use. Since we cannot administer drugs or vaccines, we must accumulate stocks of plasma from our rapidly recovering patients as reserves, he said. This should be a legal requirement for recovered patients, where appropriate, to make this donation.

Dizdarlı said that the Ministry of Health should review its planning regarding influenza and pneumonia vaccines. These vaccinations should be given on time and made available to the people who need it.

He said in conclusion that North Cyprus health services can cope with the current number of patients. However, if this number increases rapidly, entry to the island should be halted for a while (minimum one week) so that services and employees can gain some respite. 

LGC News, Yeniduzen