Akel calls for comprehensive Gesy assessment

The need for a comprehensive assessment of the national health scheme (Gesy) was among the main issues discussed during a meeting between Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides and Akel secretary-general Stefanos Stefanou on Friday. “Regardless of the problems that have arisen and continue to arise – the shortcomings, distortions and other issues – it has been proven in practice that Gesy can provide universal and equal access to healthcare services, regardless of one’s status or income,” Stefanou said after the meeting.

Stefanou described the discussion as “very constructive and thorough” and Gesy as “a very significant achievement for society”, which his party sought to safeguard and strengthen. “For us, it is of paramount importance to complete and submit a comprehensive assessment of needs,” he said. Stefanou said it was necessary to evaluate how the health system was developing to inform future decisions and ensure that needs were met in a cost-effective manner, while maintaining the system’s efficiency, sustainability and quality. “We discussed issues relating to the shaping of the sector, bearing in mind the large number of applications that have been submitted for the creation of new hospitals of various sizes, which will add hundreds of beds to the system,” he said. Stefanou also expressed concern over the acquisition of…