Family alleges neglect after 72-year-old dies alone in Larnaca hospital

The family of a 72-year-old woman who died at Larnaca general hospital in the early hours of January 18 are demanding answers regarding lack of basic care and contradictory information from staff, prompting the health ministry and Okypy to order an investigation on Thursday.

Constantia Nikolaou was taken by ambulance to the hospital at around 4pm on Saturday, January 17, after falling ill.

Speaking on Sigma TV, her granddaughter relayed that the family informed staff on arrival that the elderly woman had tested positive for coronavirus and was feeling increasingly weak.

According to the family, Nikolaou was placed in an isolation room in the emergency department but remained there for about five hours without being examined.

 “She was left all alone, without water, without anyone asking if she was okay, if she needed anything,” the granddaughter said.

“No one saw her in all those hours.”

Relatives say they made repeated phone calls to the hospital before a doctor finally examined her at around 9 to 9.30pm.

The first assessment reportedly revealed sepsis.

Nikolaou was then transferred to the infectious disease unit.

The family alleges the hospital was in disarray that evening due to a serious shooting incident in Larnaca earlier that day, with staff operating under strained conditions.

“They left the remaining patients to the mercy of God,” the granddaughter exclaimed.

The doctor on duty reassured the family and told them there was no need for a relative to stay with the patient.

Later that night, relatives phoned to ensure staff were aware of medication Nikolaou needed for other health conditions, where upon they were assured it would be administered.

At 3.51am, her daughter called again to ask about her condition.

“They couldn’t answer us clearly,” the granddaughter insisted.

She added that a nurse initially said she did not have a clear picture before saying that “everything is fine”.

Twenty-six minutes later, at 4.17am, the hospital phoned Nikolaou’s son to inform him that his mother had died from cardiac arrest.

“At 3.51 they had no idea about her condition and a few minutes later they called us to say she had passed away,” the granddaughter said.

“She had not been given her medication, despite assurances,” she dismayed.

In a formal letter sent to the health ministry and Okypy, the family raised a series of questions, including whether Nikolaou was being adequately monitored, how her condition could deteriorate so suddenly, whether vital signs were being tracked, and whether she may have died earlier and this was only discovered after relatives called.

“Did anyone go to check on her? How often are these checks carried out?” the granddaughter questioned.

The family said they did not immediately file a police complaint because they did not want to go through an autopsy and other procedures.

“What we are reporting is sheer negligence,” the granddaughter said.

Okypy confirmed that it has launched an investigation into the complaint.

In a brief statement, the organisation said the incident will be investigated and expressed sincere condolences to the family.

The health ministry has also requested a full inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Nikolaou’s death.