Seven years after the launch of Cyprus’s national Health Scheme (Gesy), the PEO trade union has reaffirmed its importance as a key social reform and collective responsibility. The union highlighted that Gesy has provided hundreds of thousands of people with access to medical services that were previously unavailable, improving quality of life across the country.

Despite these achievements, PEO emphasized the need to address ongoing challenges within the system, including abuses, service quality, and financial sustainability. The union advocates for increased investments in public hospitals and the implementation of a formal capacity-planning system to accurately assess healthcare needs and better allocate resources.

PEO also pointed out patient difficulties in accessing physiotherapy, rehabilitation, home care, and preventive exams and called for urgent subsidies for non-prescription medicines for vulnerable groups. The union concluded by pledging to protect and strengthen Gesy, ensuring it remains a universal and socially inclusive healthcare system for all Cypriots.