Operational collapse at Paphos General Hospital mortuary raises health concerns

Since March 2025, Paphos General Hospital's mortuary has been facing an operational collapse following a state decision to centralize autopsies at Nicosia General Hospital due to a shortage of forensic pathologists. This policy resulted in a lack of dedicated staff to log, preserve, and release the deceased in Paphos, leading to instances where families have been handed the wrong bodies. Currently, 12 of the facility's 20 storage units are occupied by unclaimed or unidentified remains in an advanced state of decomposition. The resulting conditions have created a significant health hazard, including foul odors and bacterial spread. Critics of the centralization policy argue that the strategy is inefficient, as morticians are now required to travel to Nicosia daily instead of performing duties locally. Authorities claim the centralization was intended to optimize the use of limited forensic resources and save time, a rationale contested by medical staff involved in the process. There is currently no official resolution to staff the facility or restore normal operations at the provincial level.