The government has refuted accusations that it is working behind the scenes to bring state hospitals to their knees, thus bringing in privatization through the backdoor.
Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou rejected the accusations saying “public health institutions are not to be privatized. Period. On the contrary, we are increasing budgets for state hospitals”.
He added that "since 2010 the budget of public hospitals has doubled. Since last December there has been a 50% increase in overtime allowances to health workers, while doctors' pay in public hospitals has increased by 50%”.
Ioannou was speaking at a meeting of the House’s Health Committee where he presented the results of the first 100 days of the General Health Scheme.
Expressing his content with the performance of the GHS, Ioannou said that some 1600 doctors have joined, while 90% of 90% of X-ray diagnostic centres and pharmacies have joined the national scheme.
He added that 1150 medicines covering all diseases are now available for patients registered with the GHS.
Ioannou brushed aside criticism by the opposition the government is paying private doctors too much to join the GHS, thus pushing doctors to leave their posts in the public sector and then register with the scheme as private physicians.
He said the average patient ratio per GP is 1300, with these doctors receiving an average of €135,000 per annum. State doctors receive an average of €110,000 but have no costs to cover, such as rent and staff.
He noted that 400 new positions for medical and paramedical staff have been opened.
Talking at the same meeting the head of the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) Thomas Antoniou said that negotiations with private health institutions are coming along, and soon more hospitals will be joining the GHS.
Replying to the Minister and HIO official, main opposition party AKEL MP George Georgiou, said the government has left public health institutions out to dry, stressing that they are understaffed and lacking basic infrastructure.
EDEK leader Marinos Sizopoulos said it is the patients who are “experiencing the bitter truth” of the GHS, such as shortages in staff and equipment which have created long waiting lists.
