OUT-PATIENT attendance at hospitals increased by eight per cent in 2004 over 2003 with almost 1.5 million people receiving treatment, latest health and hospital statistics released yesterday said.
Of the 1,483,407 people who visited outpatients departments in hospitals and clinics,
67.5 per cent represented attendances at general hospitals around the island.
The significant increase can be partly accounted for by the opening of crossing points between the two sides in April 2003, and the influx of Turkish Cypriot patients.
Admissions to general hospitals rose by one per cent during the same period, which represents 57,436 patients given in-patient treatment compared to 56,850 in 2003.
The majority – over 15 per cent – of people treated in the in- and out-patient sections were treated for external causes such as injuries, poisonings and other external factors, said the report published by the Statistics Department.
Nearly 11 per cent of all patients were treated for problems with the circulatory system, followed by those with digestive problems at 9.7 per cent and respiratory problems 9.4 per cent.
Surgical operations performed on in-patients recorded a decrease of three per cent over the previous year, numbering 19,789, while surgery on the digestive system accounted for 21.5 per cent of all operations performed on in-patients.
Nearly 15 per cent of all operations were on the musculoskeletal system, almost 14 per cent were on the female reproductive system, 12 per cent on eyes and nine per cent on ear, nose and throat.
The main diseases diagnosed among patients in Cyprus in 2004 were those of the circulatory system at 27 per cent, and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases were diagnosed in 13 per cent of patients.
During 2004 a total of 348,584 patients visited the Casualty Departments of the general hospitals, recording an increase of 1.3 per cent over the previous year.
Expenditure on health services during 2004 was around £449.2 million of which £214.6 million represented expenditure in the public sector and £234.6 million in the private sector.
The share of expenditure as a percentage of GDP increased from 5.7 per cent in 1998 to 6.2 per cent in 2004.
In 2004 there were 375 persons per doctor, compared to 384 persons per doctor in 2003 and 483 per doctors in 1990.
When it comes to nurses per person the figures are also slightly improved with 227 persons per nurse, compared to 235 in 2003 and 234 in 1990.
The situation as regards hospital beds however appeared to be deteriorating. In 2004 there were 240 persons per hospital bed, while in 2003 the figure stood at 234 persons per hospital bed and 1990 it was 170.
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