Filenews 19 September 2025 - by Marilena Panayi
Six years after the implementation of the General Health System, the majority of citizens say they are satisfied, however the data show a slight decline in trust compared to 2023. The vast majority of citizens state that with the implementation of the GHS, the cost of securing health services has been significantly reduced or eliminated for them.
Waiting lists remain the biggest "thorn", despite the fact that the majority has seen a decrease in time in the last 12 months, while the debate on the presence of foreign investment funds in the field of Health is now coming to the fore with citizens taking a position on this.
However, the score received by the participants in a pan-Cypriot survey for their knowledge about the services and their rights and obligations in the GHS, is rather a cause for concern.
The research was presented during the 8th Cyprus Healthcare Conference, which took place yesterday in Nicosia.
According to the results of the survey, 86% of citizens believe that the GHS has improved the quality of services provided, a percentage lower than the 92% recorded in a similar study in 2023. At the same time, 88% see a positive effect on the quality of life, compared to 93% two years ago.
The most decisive benefit for citizens is the lower cost of access to health services.
Eight out of ten state that the implementation of the GHS has led to the elimination of expenses, while 84% report that their family budget has been reduced. It is indicative that private insurance has fallen to 31%, from 42% before the implementation of the System.
Waiting for a visit to a specialist doctor remains a bigger problem (57%). Significant percentages also refer to the non-coverage of certain tests (50%) and the process of issuing a referral by the personal doctor (49%).
Despite the problems identified, however, 74% acknowledge that waiting times have improved in the last year.
The answers of the participants to questions related to the before and after the implementation of the GHS are of interest.
46% reported more specialization of health professionals within the GHS, 14% reported a decrease in specialization and 31% did not see any difference. 9% answered that they do not know.
Regarding the behaviour of professionals, 49% reported improvement, 15% reported that the situation has worsened, 31% did not see any difference while 5% answered that they do not know.
Finally, 41% reported that they feel more secure within the GHS, while 16% of citizens reported a reduced sense of security compared to before the implementation of the System.
Analytically:
To the question: What are the biggest benefits that, in your opinion, have resulted for all citizens through the implementation of the GHS?
- 80% of participants reported a reduction/elimination of the cost of access to health care
- 36% reported an increase in options when it comes to healthcare providers
- 33% reported an improvement in the quality of services provided
- 25% reported a reduction in time/waiting lists
The majority of participants also answered positively to the question of whether the range of drugs, i.e. the choices of drugs available to them, satisfy them.
59% said they were quite satisfied, 18% said they were very satisfied, 15% were a little satisfied and 8% were not satisfied at all.
To the question: What, in your opinion, is the most serious weakness of the GHS, which has an aggravating effect on the beneficiaries?
- 57% reported waiting lists for a doctor's visit
- 50% reported not covering certain types of tests
- 49% reported the need to receive a referral from the personal doctor to go to the specialist doctor
- 38% reported the non-participation in the GHS of all doctors and hospitals
The most serious weaknesses of the GHS according to the participants in the survey:
- 25% reported not meeting needs in specific specialties
- 23% the non-coverage of specific medicines and vitamins
- 17% the inadequate control of compliance in the System
The score obtained by the citizens in questions related to their knowledge of the practical application of the GHS is a cause for concern.
To the question: I know where I can go to get the services/information I need, the average score with a maximum of 10 was 6.2, while to the question: I know what rights I have as a beneficiary of the GHS, which services are covered and how to access them, the average score was 5.7. Finally, to the question of whether they know the ways citizens can submit a complaint, The average score was even lower and hovered around 4.1.
Regarding the comparison between original and generic drugs, 40% answered that generics are of similar quality, 16% that they are of better quality, 14% of lower quality and 30% said that they do not know.
Finally, since the implementation of the GHS, i.e. in the last six years, 57% of the participants reported that when they needed health services they turned to providers within the GHS, 8% that they turned to non-GHS providers, 29% reported that they turned to both inside and outside the System providers and 6% stated that they did not need services.
Other data recorded by the survey:
Over the past two years, participants reported:
- 91% Visit to a personal doctor
- 83% Visit to a specialist doctor
- 78% Medication Intake
- 75% Receipt of laboratory and diagnostic testing services
- 58% Visit to a dentist
- 32% Visit to another healthcare professional
- 19% Inpatient care (hospitalization)
- 7% Restoration Services
Citizens also reported that they needed 4.6 times to prescribe medicines in the last year, 4.5 times they visited a personal doctor, 4.2 times they needed laboratory tests and 3.2 times they visited a specialist doctor.
Foreign investment funds and acquisition of hospitals
The answers of the citizens to the question were interesting: Do you think that the acquisition of large private hospitals in Cyprus by multinational companies will improve the medical infrastructure and technologies in Cyprus or not?
75% answered "yes", 14% "no" and 11% "don't know".
To the question: In your opinion, what is the most important opportunity that can arise from the entry of multinational companies into the private hospitals of Cyprus?
52% reported modernization of health technology and infrastructure, 51% training and specialization of medical and nursing staff, 43% faster access to innovative medicines and treatments, 34% creation of new, well-paid jobs, 29% strengthening competition and improving the services provided, 24% attracting medical tourism and foreign patients.
