The condition of six newborns who were administered baby formula laced with ethanol remains stable, with treatment progressing positively, according to health authorities in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus.
The infants, hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit at Burhan Nalbantoğlu Emergency Hospital in occupied Nicosia, were placed on ventilators Sunday and removed from life support by Monday afternoon. Local reports indicate that the incident was kept secret from families for 36 hours, leading to public outcry.
Following the scandal’s exposure, families gathered outside the hospital, where some suffered severe distress. Security forces implemented strict measures, forming a human barrier to prevent upset parents from accessing the hospital.
The incident turned tragic as one infant, a 20-day-old girl, passed away. Her funeral took place Tuesday, sparking widespread condemnation and becoming the lead story across Turkish-Cypriot newspapers. Five nurses were arrested and detained for three days in connection with the case.
Tufan Erhürman, leader of the opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP), blamed the incident on the health minister, alleging that the minister had prior knowledge but failed to act. In a statement, the CTP’s women’s organization cited “economic, social, and political collapse” as the root cause of the negligence that led to the infant’s death, accusing the authorities of failing to take responsibility.
The incident has drawn attention to longstanding issues within the healthcare sector, with critics pointing to mismanagement and lack of qualified staff as contributing factors. Bukyun Kibris news site director Aysemden Akin highlighted severe understaffing, noting that on the day of the incident, four nurses were responsible for 22 infants instead of the recommended ratio of one nurse per three babies.
Akin added that the pandemic hospital where the incident occurred is allegedly operating outside legal building and organizational codes, with its chief doctor, a supporter of the ruling coalition, remaining silent about the hospital’s stock of ethanol-based supplies.
Authorities are awaiting a forensic report to determine the precise cause of the infant’s death.