A three-year-old boy who requires heart therapy but was denied entry to Germany because his parents were unvaccinated and will now be flown to Greece on Saturday.
The three-year-old is due to be flown by air ambulance to Athens at 12pm to receive treatment at the Mitera paediatric clinic by Dr Giorgos Sarris.
The case drew widespread media attention as it appeared that the hospital in Germany which had previously treated the child had declined the patient as his parents were unvaccinated.
Efforts were then made for the boy to receive treatment in Israel, but they also refused entry to the unvaccinated parents.
The parents ultimately proceeded with the first dose of a two-dose vaccine but it was reported on Friday that there were concerns that they would have to wait another three weeks for their second dose to be eligible to enter Germany.
According to the head of the Makarios hospital’s paediatrics clinic Dr Avraam Elia, where the child is hospitalised, both parents received one dose from a two-dose vaccine on Thursday to enable them to have their child treated.
It would be ideal for the child, who is suffering from serious heart disease, to be transferred to Germany, where he underwent his first operation in July last year, Elia said earlier on Friday morning.
So far, “the general condition of the child is stable,” the doctor said.
The boy was due to be transferred by air ambulance to Germany on Thursday for an operation at a specialised hospital.
However, the hospital abroad cancelled the procedure, insisting they cannot accept his parents unless they are vaccinated.
Commenting on the case, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas said he was “saddened” that the child was being denied treatment because his parents were unvaccinated.
He added that the health ministry respected the measures enforced in other countries and assured them it had done everything it could in that case to find a solution.
Attempts were made to have the child accompanied by a third party who is vaccinated but these failed since children must be accompanied by their guardians in such cases.
