Health Priorities and Strategic National Public Health Programs
  • With the entrance of Cyprus in the EU, many health reforms were put in place, especially regarding policies and the provision of services. 4 main issues were tackled and identified: reducing inequalities in terms of access to health care services, improving the quality of those said services, financing the health systems and reducing their costs, both for institutions and Cypriots.
  • In 2001, a National Health System (NHS) was enacted into law by the House of Representatives, focusing on various concerns in relation to the absence of coordination amongst the public and private health sector and the absence of stable financing[1].
  • Given the Lisbon Strategy of 2005, the European Union and its members were to undertake reforms in the health care system. It was in this political context that the “Strategic Plan for 2007-2013” was launched in 2006 by the government[2].
  • In 2007, the Health Insurance Organization (HIO), put thematic work teams in place. They were assisted by a consultancy firm with the teams having to create policy papers to explain the basic principles of operation of this new health system. Those documents are at the source of the Cyprus National Reform Program launched in 2011.
  • Between 2008 and 2010, the Ministry of Health improved sanitary facilities and sources of drinking water. [3] In 2011, the Ministry of Health put a Purchasing and Supply Directorate in place which is to be suppler in its decision making in order to ensure supplies and medical equipment for public hospitals’ needs, be more efficient in its financial organization, reduce fraud and increase financial control. Major reforms include “The Safeguarding and Protection of Patient’s Rights Law” in 2004 and the pharmaceutical pricing reforms between 2003 and 2009[4].


[1] Allianz, Healthcare in Cyprus, http://www.allianzworldwidecare.com/healthcare-in-cyprus
[2] Health Systems in Transition, Vol.14 N°6, 2012, « Cyprus : Health System review », M. Theodorou, C. Charalambous, C. Petrou, J.Cylus , http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/174041/Health-Systems-in-Transition_Cyprus_Health-system-review.pdf
[3] Health Care Systems Around the World : A comparative guide, Sarah E. Boslaugh, https://books.google.fr/books?id=756cCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=international+NGO+CYprus+health&source=bl&ots=aHOP0tHpW9&sig=Ghhr5ghhFPUYJb28u6M4OhzbVyU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiho9mhooTLAhWFpnIKHY4_A8YQ6AEIRTAG#v=onepage&q=international%20NGO%20CYprus%20health&f=false
[4] Health Systems in Transition, Vol.14 N°6, 2012, « Cyprus : Health System review », M. Theodorou, C. Charalambous, C. Petrou, J.Cylus , http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/174041/Health-Systems-in-Transition_Cyprus_Health-system-review.pdf
National Health expenditure and foreign aid dependency
  • Cyprus’ health care expenditures in percentage GDP are amongst the lowest of the EU member countries. It is also well beneath the EU average. Its total expenditure on health per capita grew from 723,9$ in 1995 to 1,841 in 2010. The total health expenditure (THE) as a percentage of GDP grew during that period between from 4,7 to 6%[5]. The health system is therefore not a priority for the government. On the other hand, the private share of THE has increased progressively in the past years.
Public Health System
Ministry of Health 
  • The main player in the health sector at state level is the Ministry of Health. Nonetheless, other ministries are involved in this matter such as the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance... Associations also play a crucial role on the matter. Many can be quoted, the most important ones mainly being the Cyprus Medical Association, the Cyprus Nurses and midwives Association, the Union of Public Doctors and the Union of Public Nurses, the workers’ union of Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO). Many of these associations have a strong political influence in the way the health care planning is processed[6].
  • The Ministry of Health has set itself 4 missions: (i) reducing mortality data through prevalence and control of diseases, (ii) the provision of equal opportunities for health care to all Cypriots, (iii) the promotion of co-operation between the public and private health system and (iv) the greater efficiency of the first health system[7].
Hospitals
  • There are five main public hospitals in Cyprus: Nicosia General Hospital since 2006 (414 beds), Limassol General Hospital since 1993 (305 beds), Larnaca General Hospital since 1984 (172 beds), Paphos General Hospital since 1989 (135 beds), Famagusta General Hospital since 2008 (70 beds)[11].
  • The Cyprus Medical Council (CMC) is the responsible entity in charge of monitoring doctors’ qualifications and grants them the right to practice medicine or not. The CMC is composed of seven members only. They have to keep medical records, recognize professional qualifications and register or remove doctors from or to the Cyprus Medical Register[11]. 
 Private Health System
 Health Insurances present in the Country
  • Private health expenditure represented 4% between 2011 and 2013 in Cyprus, those health expenditures being household OOP spending, private insurance, charitable and direct service payments by private corporations[8].
  • The OOP health expenditure in percentage of private expenditure on health has remained relatively stable since 2012. It represented 83,9% in 2011, 86,6%in 2012 and 86,5% in 2013[8].
Health training institutions (Academic, MoH, privates, others)
  • There are 4 public medical universities in Cyprus : University of Nicosia Medical School, Eastern Mediterranean University, Near East University Faculty of Medicine and European University Cyprus[9].
  • There is now a private medical university in Cyprus as well, St George’s University of Nicosia, attached to St George’s University of London[10]. Programs have also been put in place within the Cyprus Police and the Cyprus Fire service to give out training seminars on topics such as blood alcohol tests for drivers, violence in stadiums, family violence, child abuse and illegal drug uses.
Private Health Organizations
  • In 2012, Cyprus had 81 private hospitals, polyclinics, clinics and day care clinics in the area under Government control.[12]
  • Most physicians, dentists and pharmacists work for the private health system in contrast to nurses who are mainly employed in the public health system. There has therefore been a decrease of 20% in the number of general practitioners between 1995 and 2000[12].

[5] Health in Transition, Vol.14 N°6, 2012, « Cyprus : Health System review », M. Theodorou, C. Charalambous, C. Petrou, J.Cylus , http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/174041/Health-Systems-in-Transition_Cyprus_Health-system-review.pdf
[6] Health in Transition, Vol.14 N°6, 2012
[7] Ministry of Health of Cyprus
[8] World Bank
[9]Medical Study Guide admission, Cyprus  http://www.medicalstudyguide.com/medicine-in-cyprus.html
[10]St George’s University http://www.linos.gr/PRImages/EditorImages/The%20First%20Private%20Medical%20School%20in%20Cyprus_V2.pdf 
[11] Health in Transition, Vol.14 N°6, 2012
[12] Health in Transition, Vol.14 N°6, 2012