Private hospitals in Cyprus close beds due to persistent nursing shortage

Private hospitals participating in the General Healthcare System (GHS) in Cyprus are being forced to close inpatient beds and suspend operations of entire wards due to a critical shortage of nursing staff. According to Giorgos Pantelides, president of the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB), the crisis has impacted facilities in Nicosia, Limassol, and Larnaca, with at least four major hospitals reporting significant service reductions. The staffing shortfall has plagued the private sector for three consecutive years, leaving facilities struggling to maintain legal compliance while attempting to avoid the postponement of surgeries and elective admissions.

To address the crisis, the Health Ministry has submitted legislative amendments to Parliament that would facilitate the recruitment of nurses and midwives from non-EU countries. The House Health Committee is scheduled to resume substantive discussions regarding these bills this coming Thursday. While hospital administrations are currently working to minimize the impact on patient care, officials warn that if the situation remains unresolved, the cancellation of surgical procedures and further reductions in medical services will become inevitable in the near future.