in-cyprus 12 November 2025 - by Marilena Panayi
With Cyprus recording the highest antimicrobial resistance in the EU, ranking among the top positions for antibiotic overuse and leading in certain hospital-acquired infections, an electronic data recording platform is being launched with mandatory participation from all public and private hospitals.
The cabinet yesterday decided that each hospital must establish its own infection monitoring committee and its own antibiotic supervision team, with health minister Michalis Damianos stressing that antimicrobial resistance represents “a serious threat to patient safety and public health”.
According to the latest published European data from autumn 2024, Cyprus ranks first in the European Union for the percentage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
A similar trend appears for third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli, for which a 5% reduction target was set in 2019 by 2030, but the incidence instead increased from 6.2 to 15.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.
Even more concerning are the figures for carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, where incidence soared from 2.6 to 9.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
All hospitals must create monitoring teams
The cabinet decided that all public and private hospitals must now establish their own infection monitoring committees and antibiotic supervision teams.
The health ministry is completing a national strategy aimed at reducing rates of both antibiotic overuse and antimicrobial resistance, as well as reducing hospital-acquired infection cases in Cyprus hospitals, whilst simultaneously launching the electronic data entry platform.
The monitoring committees will be responsible for implementing measures within hospitals to prevent infection development, whilst antibiotic supervision teams will have the authority to monitor antimicrobial drug administration to patients.
According to official European data, Cyprus hospitals show increased antibiotic administration for prophylactic reasons, primarily in surgical procedures.
