President promises to improve health system

President Nikos Christodoulides said his government would upgrade the General Healthcare System (GHS) with the changes that need to be made to improve service.

He visited Limassol General Hospital on Tuesday, accompanied by Minister of Health Popi Kanari, to listen to staff and patients about their problems.

Christodoulides told hospital staff that he recognises their important role and that if they manage to solve the existing problems, “we will all be winners for the benefit above all of the Cypriot people.”

He said the GHS was the most important social reform ever made, and the government would “not only support it but do everything possible to upgrade it further.”

“We are ready to move forward with those changes that need to be made, always within the philosophy of GHS.”

The President asked for the cooperation of health professionals to go ahead with those changes needed to improve the public hospitals and the health system.

“We must meet the expectations of the Cypriot people and work together with the patients.”

Limassol general has been criticised for its ill-treatment of elderly patients, while the health service has struggled to have a coherent policy on the welfare of older patients.

“It is an area where we lag significantly compared to other EU Member States.

“This lack of a specific policy for the elderly was referenced during our discussion with the doctors,” said Christodoulides.

He said he received many messages from the public, especially about the situation in the Emergency Department and added that he exchanged views with patients and doctors.

“I would be surprised if there were no problems.

“It is more important that the government has the clear political will to deal with these problems based on specific planning and timetables.

“The ‘diagnosis’ is very important; more important for us is the ‘treatment’, and for this reason, we will be in constant dialogue with all the health partners to deal with them”.