Filenews 13 September 2024
The approval of the agreements by the Council of Ministers on kidney and lung transplants to be signed on September 19 with the Greek state, was announced on Friday by the Minister of Health, Michalis Damianos, after the end of the Council of Ministers, noting that the agreements "are particularly important developments in the field of transplants".
Through these agreements, Mr. Damianos noted, "our cooperation with the Ministry of Health of the Hellenic Republic is strengthened, with the ultimate goal of improving the care of our patients and increasing the chances of finding compatible donors."
Mr. Damianos said that the first agreement concerns cross-kidney transplants. It is, as he said, an initiative that will allow the exchange of organs between Cyprus and Greece in cases of incompatibility between donor and recipient, offering a new solution to patients who would otherwise find it difficult to undergo transplantation.
"This collaboration is expected to increase the success rate of such operations and contribute substantially to improving the quality of life of our patients," he said.
The Minister of Health stated that the second agreement concerns the field of lung transplantation and establishes the framework for performing transplants to adult Cypriot patients in transplant units in Greece.
Also, Damianos said, the agreement includes the possibility of offering organs that are not used in Cyprus to the Hellenic Transplant Organization. This arrangement ensures that the available instruments will be used in the best possible way, while contributing to the strengthening of cooperation with Greece.
"These agreements are a crucial step in strengthening healthcare and advancing our cooperation with other countries in the field of transplantation for the benefit of our patients," he said.
Mr. Damianos also said that the Council of Ministers also approved the proposal for the continuation and expansion of the cooperation program between the Dental Services and the Pancyprian Dental Association.
As he explained, the program that so far covers students of the fifth grade of primary school will be extended from the school year 2024/25 to students of the first grade of primary school.
He noted that this extension is necessary, as at the age of 6 the first permanent molars appear and early diagnosis of caries is critical for children's oral health. "The program continues to be an important initiative to promote the oral health of our children," the Minister of Health concluded.
CNA
