The high amount: 2.4 million plus interest, concerns the two state hospitals in Limassol and Nicosia and the tragic case of a mother and baby who suffered cerebral palsy.
The Nicosia Court's decision brings justice to a 17-year legal battle, but provides the resources to meet the huge financial burden of life support suffered by the victim's family.

The two hospitals, the doctors and the nursing staff were found guilty. The expert witnesses had to prove that the newborn had not already had irreversible damage from placental abruption, which abruption could not have been diagnosed, arguing that the clinical evidence was not strong. Moreover, they had to prove that if a correct and timely diagnosis had been made at the Larnaca Hospital and if a caesarean section had been performed at the Nicosia Hospital the baby would have had no problems.

The history is as follows:

In July 1999 a pregnant woman presented with bleeding and went to Larnaca General Hospital. The doctors did not make a correct diagnosis, did not even perform an ultrasound scan and did not realise that the woman had suffered placental abruption.

She remained in hospital for a few days and when her condition deteriorated and they could not treat her, she was sent to the Makarios Hospital in Nicosia. There, despite being ready to give birth, the woman was left alone in a room where her husband was not allowed to be present. The woman gave birth alone and helplessly and although she called the nurses, they appeared when the baby was lying bruised and not breathing at its mother's feet.

At some point a trainee doctor appeared who tried to bring the baby back to life but the delay in resuscitation caused cerebral palsy.
No one attended to the mother to remove the placenta, which was removed by a cleaning lady who was found there!!!