Credit crunch sees Cypriots shun private health care

The world econonic downturn has triggered a spike in admissions to subsidised government hospitals in Cyprus, with the public shunning costlier private health care.
Doctors in state hospitals say there has been a 20 percent increase in patient intake in recent weeks. Cypriot government hospital fees are based on a mechanism related to patients' income, but are generally cheaper than privately-run hospitals.
"From conversations we have been having with patients it appears that the increase in intake is because of the economic crisis and the (financial) insecurity people have," said Stavros Stavrou, head of the government doctors' union.
There had been an increase in patients requiring all disciplines of surgery, particularly orthopaedic and heart surgery, he told the Phileleftheros daily. Waiting lists were building up, he added. ®