Cyprus evaluates purchasing dedicated air ambulance aircraft

The government of Cyprus is currently evaluating the acquisition of a state-owned air ambulance aircraft to improve the efficiency of transporting critically ill patients abroad. This initiative follows data revealing that the current outsourcing model often leads to delays, with some transfers taking up to 15 hours, frequently exceeding medically safe timeframes. According to the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), there is a requirement for roughly ten air transfers per month, as many patients cannot travel via commercial flights. Among these cases, 23 have been classified as life-threatening and 25 as urgent, necessitating rapid deployment that the existing service model struggles to provide.

President Nikos Christodoulides and the Health Minister have held discussions with relevant stakeholders, including the Ambulance Service and the Cyprus Federation of Patients Associations. Potential funding for the aircraft is being considered through Cyprus's allocation from the EU's 2028-2035 budget. While the HIO administration identified these operational gaps last October, no final procurement decisions have been made. However, officials intend to progress the project throughout 2027, coinciding with the launch of the new National Ambulance Service Authority, which is expected to oversee the implementation of more robust medical transport protocols.