Filenews 23 May 2021 - by Konstantinos Ioannou
*Article by the Minister of Health Konstantinos Ioannou, on the occasion of the completion of the two years since the start of the implementation of the General Health System.
These days are two years since the start of the implementation of the General Health System (GHS), which was described as one of the largest reforms ever made in the Republic of Cyprus.
It is too early to make a full assessment of the intersection that has been taking place in the health sector over the last two years, but there is no doubt that the GHS is largely in line with its core mission, namely to offer all beneficiaries equal and universal access to quality health services.
The citizens embraced the GHS from the very first moment, despite the war problems it has accepted and continues to accept to this day. The GHS rejected those who predicted its collapse and those who supposedly warned of destruction, precisely because it was supported by society, strengthened, consolidated and is now on the rails of continuous evolution. In this perpetual process, which has no return, the forces of society and the laws of the market play an important role. The role of the State will be ancillary and corrective there, and when necessary, to support the GHS, which is an asset of all of us. The Government demonstrates every day that it actually supports the health sector, in which it invests the most. For example, I would remind you that the budget of the Ministry of Health for this year is close to €1 billion and constitutes almost 10% of the total budget of the State.
For the past two years the citizen has had the Personal Physician of his choice, through which he is referred to the Special Physician also of his preference. The large number of Medical Specialists contracted with the Health Insurance Agency ensures this right of choice for the vast majority of medical specialties, covering almost all medical needs. A milestone for the development of the GHS is also the inclusion of a large number of private hospitals, which, in combination with the large network of public hospitals, enrich the menu of options for all beneficiaries.
Those who had the most objections to the importance of the GHS should consider what the health sector was like two years ago. Citizens, each beneficiary, each family, now have access to quality health services, medicines through the institution of the "neighbourhood pharmacy", diagnostic and laboratory tests, against a particularly low contribution, without the stress of financial costs, which upsets the family budget and causes uncertainty and insecurity.
The figures are indicative: 892,134 beneficiaries of the GHS who have been registered in a list of Personal Physicians within these two years. 801,107 beneficiaries visited their personal physician, more than 631,000 visited specialist doctors, 655,868 beneficiaries took medicines, 578,249 took laboratory tests and 76,873 received inpatient care services.
I recognise that among these figures there are abusive cases, a distortion that was expected and observed in all the countries where a new Health System was implemented. With various actions by the OSB, the problem has been greatly alleviated but we have to admit that it still exists. But I would like to remind you that abuses also existed before the GHS, when the citizens were suffering excessive charges and the state had serious losses from undeclared income, waste and several other pathogens.
The second anniversary of the implementation of the GHS finds our country attempting the step towards an exit from the health crisis. It would be an omission not to note the decisive contribution of the GHS to the effective management of the pandemic and I am sure that things would be much more difficult if we did not have at our disposal the GESY database with the mandatory registration of all medical operations and the valuable institution of the Personal Physician. The definition of procedures and protocols made it easier to deal with suspected and positive cases, while electronic prescribing to chronic patients without the need for a physical visit to the dispensaries, were some actions that decongested the Health System and reduced the risk of dispersion. Equally important is the contribution of Personal Physicians to the vaccinations of their beneficiaries at this time.
Two years later, we are confident in the way we are going, we look to the future of the GHS with optimism and we feel proud that despite the difficulties, under particularly unfavourable conditions, we have implemented the decision on major health reform. It remains to be said that we will continue with the addition of other specialties and services, as well as corrective actions, which will contribute to the upgrading of health services. The GHS is a work of breath for Cyprus, which we will bequeath to our children and to future generations.
*Minister of Health
