Elderly residents stranded as Cyprus refugee apartment blocks lack lifts

Hundreds of elderly residents in refugee housing estates across Cyprus remain confined to their apartments due to the absence of functioning elevators. According to data provided by the Department of Town Planning and Housing, out of 368 apartment blocks originally slated for upgrades, only 124 have received lifts, while 43 have been marked for demolition. Currently, 201 buildings remain without accessibility infrastructure, leaving many residents with mobility issues unable to leave their homes for years.

The crisis is particularly acute in the Agioi Anargyroi 2 settlement in Larnaca, where residents on Komiton Street have reported severe neglect. Notable cases include a 92-year-old woman who has not left her flat in a decade and an 82-year-old woman who has been stranded for a year after falling on the stairs. Narrow staircases in these older buildings also prevent emergency crews from transporting patients on stretchers. Past incidents include the death of a 69-year-old man eight years ago, attributed to delays in medical evacuation.

Responsibility for the installation of lifts has been folded into the national 'ktiZO' grants scheme. While the new framework intends to address these outstanding needs, residents and local reports criticize the pace of the project as insufficient, citing a lack of communication and continued suffering for those living in hazardous, non-accessible conditions.