Health care in Cyprus

Health care in Cyprus accounted for 7% of its GDP in 2014.[1] Between 2010 and 2014, health care spending increased from $1,705 per capita to $2,062 per capita.[2][3] Cyprus has a multi-payer health care system that consists of a public and private sector.[2] The public sector is funded by payroll, earnings taxes, and employer contributions.[2] The public sector healthcare provides social insurance for the employed, self-employed, and for several types of civil servant.[2] A universal national health system, known as GESY, was implemented in Cyprus in June 2019. The new system aims to provide affordable and effective medical care to all people residing permanently in Cyprus.

General Healthcare System (GeSY)

Cyprus's universal healthcare system, GESY, launched on June 1, 2019.[4] As of June 2022, 917,000 Cypriots have registered[5] with a general practitioner through the GESY system, which is roughly the current population of the Republic of Cyprus.

In 2013 Cyprus decided to establish a national health care system, with support from creditors of the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank, and European Commission.[6] A Cyprus national health system was predicted to increase coordination, reduce waste, and be more fiscally responsible.[7] Inefficiencies in the system include overlapping services between the public and private health service providers and "poor communication and coordination" between the sectors.[8] Cyprus ranks the highest among European Union nations on out-of-pocket health spending.[8][9] Public healthcare operates with the state's Ministry of Health providing control and funding.[8] Cyprus outperforms the EU average of dentists per capita (91 for every 100,000 people) and underperforms in pharmacists per capita (21 for every 100,000 people).[8]

George Pamporidis, the Minister of Health, announced in September 2015 that he intended to establish a National Health Service by 2017. He has previously pledged to clear our corruption in Cyprus' public hospitals.[10] Establishment of an operational NHS was a promise Cyprus made as part of the bailout programme with the Troika of international lenders. Pamporidis proposed a 2% special tax (1% for employers and 1% for employees) to finance a "mini-NHS".[11]

The current dual sector system is in the process of being replaced with a national health system that aims to provide universal coverage.[7] The National Health System was supposed to save €292 million from 2016-2025 compared to the predicted expenditures of the current system.[7] The public health sector managed by the Ministry of Health provided free services to approximately 83% of the population.[12] Public coverage includes dental, mental health and pharmaceutical services, as well as general public health resources.[8]

The three government bills and regulations introducing the General Healthcare System, GeSY, were agreed by parliament on 16 June 2017. It is supposed to be fully operational by 1 July 2020.[13] Collection of contributions for the first stage of implementation started on 1 March 2019.[14]

OKYpY

Sir David Nicholson was appointed chairman of the newly established State Health Services Organisation (Greek: ΟΚΥπΥ (OKYpY)) in 2018.[15] Thomas Antoniou is the president.

In March 2019 it was reported that more than 1,200 doctors have signed up to work for it. About 1,300-1,400 doctors will be required for its first phase.[16]

International comparisons

The Euro health consumer index ranked Cyprus 26th of 35 European countries in 2015, commenting that it did not really have a public healthcare system in the general European meaning of the term.[17]

Hospitals

See also
  • Nicosia Old General Hospital
  • History of medicine in Cyprus

References
  1. "Data and Statistics". WHO/Europe. World Health Organization. 19 February 2019.
  2. Boslaugh, Sarah (2013). Health Care Systems around the World: A Comparative Guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. pp. 122–124. ISBN 978-1452203126.
  3. "Cyprus". World Health Organization. World Health Organization.
  4. Psyllides, George. "'Biggest social reform since 1960' off to a good start officials say (Update 2)". Cyprus Mail. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  5. Christou, Jean. "Three years on, Gesy has been fully embraced by the population, health minister says (Updated)". Cyprus Mail. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  6. Kanavos, Wouters, Panos, Olivier (2016). "Enabling Health-care Reform in the Republic of Cyprus" (PDF). London School of Economics and Political Science. London School of Economics and Political Science.
  7. "ACTUARIAL STUDY OF CYPRUS NATIONAL HEALTH EXPENDITURE AND NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM" (PDF). Health Insurance Organization. Mercer.
  8. "Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) - Cyprus" (PDF). WHO Regional Office for Europe. World Health Organization. 2014.
  9. "Health at a Glance: Europe 2016: State of Health in the EU Cycle". OECD Publishing. 2016. doi:10.1787/888933429333. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. "'I'm no Robin Hood', but health reforms a must, says minister". Cyprus Mail. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  11. "Mini-NHS is a crucial move". In Cyprus. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  12. "Coverage for health care". Health at a Glance: Europe 2016: State of Health in the EU Cycle. Health at a Glance: Europe: 153. 2016. doi:10.1787/health_glance_eur-2016-50-en. ISBN 9789264265585.
  13. "Health system bills unanimously approved, 'historic day'". Cyprus Mail. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  14. "The General Healthcare System (GHS, Greek: ΓεΣΥ (GeSY)) will be implemented as from the 1st of March 2019". Lexology. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  15. "Our View: New government must brace for a battle with doctors". Cyprus Mail. 14 January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  16. "More than 1,200 doctors signed up for NHS". In-Cyprus. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  17. "Outcomes in EHCI 2015" (PDF). Health Consumer Powerhouse. 26 January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
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