**Title: Two Doctors Suspended from Practicing Medicine for Six Years in Cyprus**
Two doctors in Cyprus have been suspended from practicing medicine for a period of six years due to serious violations of professional conduct, as announced by the Cyprus Medical Association (CMA) on Wednesday. The decision, made by the medical disciplinary council, was issued on June 22 and involves Dr. Alevtina Kouzitseva Markou and Dr. Victoria Kouzitseva Christodoulou.
The disciplinary council found that both doctors submitted false information when applying for recognition of their specialty qualifications in general medicine to the Cyprus Medical Council. Specifically, they claimed to have completed four years of continuous postgraduate training at Gomel State Medical University in Belarus, a statement that was determined to be untrue.
As a result of their misrepresentation, the doctors were granted recognition of a medical specialty that they would not have qualified for had the accurate information been disclosed. The council characterized this conduct as a grave disciplinary offense, emphasizing that it undermines public trust in the medical specialty recognition system and compromises the integrity of the medical profession.
The council's ruling highlighted that the actions of Dr. Markou and Dr. Christodoulou could not be dismissed as mere procedural errors. Instead, they were viewed as a deliberate attempt to mislead the authorities regarding their qualifications.
While the disciplinary council did consider mitigating factors, such as the doctors' previously clean records and their personal circumstances, it ultimately deemed the severity of the misconduct too significant to warrant a lighter penalty. The suspension is set to take effect on June 22, 2026, and will last until June 22, 2032, during which time neither doctor will be allowed to practice medicine in Cyprus.
The CMA's announcement serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity within the medical profession and the consequences of failing to uphold these standards.