Health spending rises to 6% of GDP
Minister of Health Christos Patsalides assured the World Health Organisation on Tuesday that WHO has “our full support in their duty of professional and effective leadership in the specific issue of Influenza A and the overall spectrum of public health.”
Speaking at the 62nd World Health Assembly in Geneva, Patsalides said the timing of the Assembly is particularly important given the increased pressure that the simultaneous occurrence of the current financial crisis and influenza A (H1N1) bring to the global health structure.
Apart from the influenza outbreak, public health is threatened by the impact of the current financial and economic crisis, he said, adding that the consequent risk of diverting investments away from health systems is imminent and that recent discussions under WHO umbrella have illustrated that investing in national health systems produces sustainable development and financial growth.
Recent political decisions in Cyprus have been taken in this context. The percentage of the population having access to free public health care has been increased to 85%. Population groups with severe, chronic or mental illnesses, and individuals in emergency conditions are also covered free of charge. Additionally, other vulnerable groups are entitled to receive free health care services, aiming to promote social coherence,” he said.
Patsalides added that “total expenditure on health as percentage of GDP, has increased to 6.2% for 2009 representing an increase of approximately 15% compared to 2008” and that “national expenditure on social coverage and welfare has increased from 14,7% to 18,1%, of which retirement pension scheme accounts for 8,2% and infrastructures for primary health care for 4,7%.”
“In addition, emphasis is given to programmes for promoting public health through education and preventive medicine,” he noted, adding that strengthening primary Health Care Services aims at responding to the needs of the most vulnerable groups and that the main drive is to enhance social protection as an attempt to reduce inequalities in health.
