Cyprus Medical Association reviews doctors who granted excessive sick leave to prison guards

On September 2, 2026, the Cyprus Ministry of Justice officially transmitted a list of medical practitioners to the Cyprus Medical Association (CMA) regarding the issuance of excessive sick leave to prison guards. The documentation, signed by the Ministry’s Director-General Yiorgos Pantelis following a meeting with Minister Costas Fytiris, identifies doctors who granted staff leave exceeding 42 days, with some instances reaching 200 days of absence.

Michalis Anastasiadis, head of the CMA’s Ethics Committee, confirmed receipt of the list and stated that the organization is initiating a thorough review of the data. The primary objective is to determine why these specific medical cases were not referred to official medical boards for evaluation, as would be standard procedure for long-term absences. The investigation does not identify the prison guards themselves but focuses on the professional conduct of the medical providers involved.

This move follows an institutional effort to address concerns over potential abuse of medical leave within the prison service. The CMA has also reportedly communicated with police authorities concerning separate doctors already under criminal investigation, though they have yet to receive a formal response. The association will now determine if further disciplinary or corrective measures are required following their internal audit of these files.