Cyprus plan on medical tourism to be announced soon

The Ministry of Health and the Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO) will be soon ready to announce a strategic plan to promote medical tourism in Cyprus.

In statements after a meeting on Tuesday with the CTO leadership, the Minister of Health Christos Patsalides said that “the plan concerning grants for the accreditation of private hospitals has already been completed and it is expected to be announced very soon”.

Grants could reach up to 70 per cent of the cost, the Minister explained, adding that the plan will address the Arab and European markets.

He added that interest is also expressed by Russian investors.

The Minister said that in times of economic crisis, we must find ways to expand our services but also to promote new products which will highlight Cyprus’ strategic geographical location in providing services.”

Patsalides talked about the need to attract health tourism through incentives and better promotion of local services.

He said that the Ministry of Health is working with the CTO, which chairs the competent committee set up to draft a comprehensive strategy in cooperation with the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and other interested organisations.

“The Ministry of Health has completed the plan to help finance the accreditation of private hospitals, with a view to giving incentives to private hospitals to obtain accreditation from international firms, which issue the relevant accreditation to private hospitals,” he explained.

The plan aims to finance partly this cost so, having obtained this accreditation, the private sector can easily attract medical tourism, he concluded.