By Jacqueline Theodoulou
A MAN who was wrongly diagnosed with cancer and sent abroad for treatment is now being refused compensation by the Health Ministry for the expenses he was subjected to.
For five months, 54-year-old George (not his real name) lived under the psychological burden of believing he had prostate cancer.
After borrowing money, he was sent to the UK by the Health Ministry to have an operation.
It was there that he was told: “You don’t have cancer; they made a wrong diagnosis in Cyprus.”
Returning to the island, instead of receiving an apology for the turmoil he had been put through, George was told by the ministry that he would not only have to pay for his flight and accommodation, but also his London hospital expenses.
And now a loophole in health regulations – the Plan for Sending Patients Abroad does not cover such incidents – means that George will have to drag the case through court, putting himself in more debt as he seeks legal advice.
The 54-year-old’s cancer “diagnosis”, according to Politis newspaper yesterday, took place in May 2007. He was immediately referred to the Bank of Cyprus (BoC) Oncology Centre and then to Nicosia General Hospital for further tests.
Last November, the Health Ministry made the decision to send George to London for therapy.
According to the Plan, the patient must deposit £2,426 and the government takes care of the rest. Taking out a loan, George deposited the money to the relevant department.
His receipt clearly stated that the money would go towards his therapy, which meant that his travelling and living expenses would be covered by the state.
Borrowing more money, George paid for his and his wife’s plane tickets, accommodation, transportation and food.
After carrying out a number of tests in the UK costing £1,469, George was told he didn’t have prostate cancer.
On his return to Cyprus, not only was he not compensated, but the Health Ministry only returned £957 of the money he had deposited before leaving the island.
“For God’s sake, they killed me for five months, telling me I have cancer, they put me through hell, my relatives were in a constant state of anxiety and on top of all this, I have to pay for their mistakes?” George wondered to Politis.
So taking matters into his own hands, the 54-year-old decided to send Health Minister Costas Kadis a letter, requesting full compensation for the money he deposited and his trip’s expenses.
He received no reply, but found out that the minister had approved the return of £1,000.
George now feels understandably wronged by the government. “Instead of apologising for the pain and hassle they put me through and covering my expenses, they are being miserly over a few hundred pounds,” he pointed out.
Minister Kadis yesterday told Politis: “The regulations do not provide the return of money in such circumstances. But overlooking this, I have favourably approved the return of £1,000 because I believed that was what I should have done.”
He added, “I think it is unfair that we are now been accused on top of this.”
THE BoC Oncology Centre yesterday announced that there had been a 12 per cent increase in cancer cases in 2007, compared to the year before.
“The number of new cancer cases that reached the BoC Oncology Centre in 2007 reached 1,742,” the announcement read yesterday.
Since the Centre began operating in September 1998, a total of 14,334 patients have registered, including 489 Turkish Cypriots.
Data has showed that the biggest increase in percentages was melanomas, thyroid, bladder and skin cancer.
Around 300-400 Cypriots visit the centre on a daily basis.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008
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