CYPRUS: Struggling health sector to change radically by 2020

President Nicos Anastasiades has pledged that the Cyprus health sector will have a completely new face by 2020 in the biggest shake-up for generations.

In an address to the Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Anastasiades said the government is now in the process of implementing the National Health System, which is based on the fundamental principles of social solidarity, equality and universal coverage.

“The NHS is designed to make the most of the structures and human resources of both the public and private sector.

Therefore, under the NHS, all beneficiaries will have access to health professionals, hospitals and diagnostic centres of the public and private sector of their choice,” said Anastasiades.

He said implementation of healthcare reforms will address “effectively and decisively” most of the problems and challenges faced today by a system under pressure and struggling to cope with demand.

 “It will contribute significantly to improving the standard of living of our citizens.”

The President underlined that “the entire health sector in our country is currently at the heart of the most important reform process that has taken place in recent years and will completely change by 2020”.