Cyprus health authorities address WHO report on primary care inefficiencies

The Cyprus Health Insurance Organization (HIO) has officially acknowledged a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, titled 'Strengthening primary health care and reducing overprovision of low-value specialist care: policy options for Cyprus.' The study, which analyzed data from 2020 to 2024, identifies systemic challenges within the General Health System (GeSY), specifically warning against the overutilization of low-value medical services and the strain on primary care doctors due to increased patient referrals.

While the report highlights concerns regarding the sustainability of the health system seven years after its implementation, the HIO stated that its core recommendations align with ongoing strategic initiatives. The organization noted that it has already begun implementing reforms, including the development of quality indicators, the enforcement of clinical guidelines, and the integration of artificial intelligence and data analysis to curb service abuse. Although GeSY successfully increased medical coverage—reducing unmet needs from 1.4% in 2018 to 0.1% in 2022—experts emphasize that shifting from a quantity-based to a quality-based model remains critical to preventing future economic instability for the public health sector.