By Annette Chrysostomou
EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, during an official visit to the isalnd on Friday expressed the readiness of the European Commission to support Cyprus’ national health system (NHS) reform.
He was speaking to reporters after a tour of the Nicosia General hospital where he was accompanied by Health minister Giorgos Pamboridis and hospital officials.
Andriukaitis said he was impressed with the very good departments, especially the intensive care unit and the laboratories and was satisfied with the quality of care.
“We are very impressed with the young doctors, the young psychologists who deal with children and families, and apart from treatment offer psychological assistance,” he said.
“We are ready to support Cyprus to move forward,” he added, “we must create greater opportunities for all Cypriots.”
The Commissioner talked with the minister about the possibilities about improving the health system.
“We must send a message to the Cypriot society that health care reform is a social reform,” Andriukaitis noted.
On his part, Pamborides said “EU assistance is pivotal and the fact that the Commissioner is in Cyprus and is so encouraging about the whole effort is of great significance and we thank him for this.”
Asked when the Cyprus NHS will be ready, he said the changes are underway but they must take place step by step. “This is not a war, it’s not a revolution. It is a reform and I think that maybe in a period of five years you will see the possibility of a more accessible health care, more coverage and more possibilities for people to have equal access to health care,” he concluded.
During his visit, Andriukaitis also met with members of parliament and discussed matters related to the Cyprus health sector.
The Commissioner briefed the parliamentarians on EU policies such as alcohol consumption, smoking and GMOs.
As regards the efforts by the Cyprus government to implement the NHS, the Commissioner said that the authorities could look into the available EU financial instruments to upgrade the health sector by introducing modern policies such as eHealth.
The import of food into the EU via the Green line which is not in compliance with EU regulations and the provision of health services funding for refugees who arrive in large numbers in the EU were also discussed.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Agriculture committee Yiannakis Gavriel, Deputy Chairman of the Health committee Stella Kyriakides and several MPs.
