Patients’ federation slams decision to lift civil servants’ free treatment

A decision to scrap free medical treatment not covered by the national health scheme (Gesy) for all civil servants and their families, has triggered the reaction of the Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations (Osak), which says the move causes a “huge and dangerous distortion”.

Osak said a parliament decision and the way the health ministry will be implementing it “places thousands of chronic patients in danger and at the same time leads to adverse discrimination against a large portion of the population.”

The decision affects employees in state services, such as ministries, but excludes teachers, security personnel, state officials and others.

The federation gave the example of gastrostomy patients, who need special supplements to keep them alive, which would cost them over €1,000 to obtain from the private sector.

Osak said anyone not a civil servant was still entitled to the free treatment.

It added that the health ministry was not deciding by condition and its severity, but by whether the patients were civil servants or not.

Osak is demanding immediate corrective measures and hopes that pharmaceuticals and necessary supplements will soon be covered by Gesy.

Before the introduction of Gesy, civil servants had a medical card that provided them with additional privileges, but this card became obsolete with Gesy’s implementation, Osak explained to the Cyprus Mail.

In the private sector, chronic patients can receive free treatment outside Gesy if they meet the medical protocol requirements.

Osak told the Cyprus Mail that now civil servants are not entitled to the free treatment, even if they fulfill the medical protocol.