Concerns grow over state of Cyprus’ ambulances

Concerns are continuing to grow over the state of operations of ambulance services in Cyprus, with the federation of Cyprus patients’ associations (Osak) becoming increasingly restless over what they perceive as a lack of progress on the matter.

They had suggested the creation of a publicly run “national ambulance authority” which would operate ambulances centrally, with a bill having been submitted to cabinet last summer containing such a provision.

However, the lack of action has caused concern among Osak, with representative Miltos Miltiadous saying it is making the federation “uncomfortable”.

Osak had been tasked with drawing up a study and proposal on the matter, which, Miltiadous said, was submitted to President Nikos Christodoulides in March alongside “clear proposals”.

“Unfortunately, until today, the end of July, we have had no response, no discussion has taken place, and the issue remains at a standstill,” he said.

He said Osak had submitted three options for how a national ambulance could operate, the first of which would entail the creation of a deputy ministry or an “independent crisis service”, which would have as part of its scope the operation of all emergency services.

The second-best option, he said, would be the creation of an “independent ambulance authority”, while the third would be to create a separate department under the health ministry.

He went on to say that Osak had “agreed to the establishment of a transitional period so that the state health services organisation (Okypy) would benefit for two years from the revenue generated by the operation of their own ambulances, given that the finance ministry had raised some concerns.”

Osak’s intervention comes days after Limassol medical centre director Andreas Pantazis had called for private ambulances to be included in Gesy.

In an explosive letter written to Health Minister Michael Damianos, he said the current system, whereby private hospitals which join Gesy are obliged to have their own ambulances but cannot use them for Gesy purposes is “discriminatory” and “endangers lives”.

Under this system, private hospitals which have Gesy patients who require ambulance transport request an ambulance from Gesy, which then sends an ambulance operated by Okypy.

“We consider it unacceptable and unthinkable to have ambulances and not be entitled to serve our patients with them, expecting Okypy to serve us with daily delays and be waiting hours for an ambulance,” Pantazis said.

With this in mind, he added, “once there is a demand and the state’s ambulances cannot respond, it is the state’s obligation to provide solutions, and solutions by which the patients will not be at risk.”

He then decried what he described as “discriminatory treatment in favour of the state’s ambulance service, which irreparably harms the rights of patients as well as competition”, before calling on Damianos to “intervene to correct this distortion”.