The Health System in Cyprus
Protection of Health and easy access to Health Care System are Basic Human Rights which have to be met in every Democratic Country without taking into account Income or Economic Capacity of the individual.

Considering Health in Cyprus, we could state that it has an adequate standard, without disgregarding certain problems.

There is a good balance between the State and Private Health Systems which gives a Health Image easily comparable to that of developed countries. The Doctor/Patient ratio is 1 to 433 and the Hospital Bed/Inpatient ratio is 1 to 190.

Since 1960, the year of Cyprus's independence, emphasis was given to Prevention, a necessary aspect of Health Care. Cyprus is today admired for its Prevention Programs and has an international reputation for them. Prevention Program managed to practically eliminate diseases such as Malaria, Tuberculosis and Echinococcus, a disease that gave us second place in the word for incidence before the 1950's.

Recently a Cancer Prevention Program was launched with the use of a Moving Cancer Diagnosis Unit which administers the Pap-Test and Mammography to every woman in Cyprus, free of charge.

Due to the State and Private Sector efforts of the last two decades we now have a high standard of health care at relatively low cost.

The total Governament expenditure on Health is now a 4 to 4.5% of the Gross National Income in comparison to a 7% of highly developed countries.

In spite of the result of the Turkish Invasion and Occupation which left Cyprus with a loss of hundreds of Hospital beds, Private and State Medical Centers and Labs, Cyprus managed to improve Health Care Systems both in Manpower, Premises and Technology. Scans such as the MRI, the CT, the Ultrasound, Extra-corporal Fertilization modalities, Lithotripsia, Mammography, Osteoporosis early detection Tests and almost any other High-Tech Diagnostic Tool is available to the public.

Transplants are also performed in Cyprus, with special centers for kidney and corneal transplantations as well as Open Heart Surgery.

The National Social Security System which covers most of the population - indicatively, women are allowed a paid 16-week birth leave and a substantial birth allowance.

The various Medical Funds supported by Semi Government and Private Organizations and operated under special agreements with the Private Sector Health Care System. Medical Funds allow the citizen to visit the doctors or clinic of his choice at a relatively low cost.