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 system was created as part of a requirement in the bail-out agreement with the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank (the Troika). [4] The new system aims to provide affordable and effective medical care to all people residing permanently in Cyprus.
Cyprus's universal healthcare system, GESY, launched on June 1, 2019. [5] As of June 2022, 917,000 Cypriots have registered [6] 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. [7] A Cyprus national health system was predicted to increase coordination, reduce waste, and be more fiscally responsible. [8] Inefficiencies in the system include overlapping services between the public and private health service providers and "poor communication and coordination" between the sectors. [9] Cyprus ranks the highest among European Union nations on out-of-pocket health spending. [9] [10] Public healthcare operates with the state's Ministry of Health providing control and funding. [9] 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). [9]
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. [11] 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". [12]
The current dual sector system is in the process of being replaced with a national health system that aims to provide universal coverage. [8] The National Health System was supposed to save €292 million from 2016-2025 compared to the predicted expenditures of the current system. [8] The public health sector managed by the Ministry of Health provided free services to approximately 83% of the population. [13] Public coverage includes dental, mental health and pharmaceutical services, as well as general public health resources. [9]
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. [14] Collection of contributions for the first stage of implementation started on 1 March 2019. [15]
Sir David Nicholson was appointed chairman of the newly established State Health Services Organisation (Greek: ΟΚΥπΥ (OKYpY)) in 2018. [16] 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. [17]
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. [18]
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