Author
In June 2019, a National Health System (GESY) took effect for the first time in Cyprus, introducing major differences in the provision of health care services, mainly introducing the concept of a General Practitioner (GP) as a focal point for referrals to all specialised doctors. A network of private practitioners, pharmacies, and diagnostic centres have been set-up in order for health services to be provided, including a number of private hospitals.
Beneficiaries of International Protection, unlike asylum applicants, have access to the General Health System under the same conditions as nationals do. This entails access to a GP free of charge, whereas access to specialised or supportive medical care (specialised doctors, lab work, physiotherapy, psychologists etc.) requires contributions of € 6-10 per visit. Medication may also require small contributions which is usually around € 2-4.
Although the transition to the new health system for BIPs was not smooth due to various coordination challenges between the appointed relevant governmental departments, a lack of translated material in the language of beneficiaries and confusion among medical and hospital staff regarding refugees’ rights to health care, the situation has since been normalised. However, an important obstacle remains for BIPs as they cannot access GESY immediately upon being granted status as the system requires a residence permit, which often takes 6 months. During this time, persons cannot access health services through GESY and are supposed to have access as asylum applicants, however they need to provide additional documentation showing that although they are BIPs they do not have access to GESY and in many cases this has led to delays or no access.[1] Furthermore, in cases of BIP that have attempted to move to other EU member states and are returned to Cyprus, in most cases their residence permit will have expired during their absence and they will have been removed from GESY; to access GESY again they will need to apply for the renewal of the residence permit, during which time they will not have access to health care.[2]
BIPs have access to the schemes of the Department for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, operating under the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, which asylum applicants do not have access to. These schemes include various types of allowances and access to care and technical means. Since May 2018, following a decision of the Council of Ministers, BIPs are granted access to the allowance scheme provided to HIV positive persons.[3]
BIPs have access to mental health care services via GESY, which includes access to psychiatric and psychological care, with a small fee (€ 6 for psychiatrists and € 10 for psychologists). An ongoing gap is the provision of interpretation which is not available for free for the professionals working for GESY.
In 2024, the UN Economic and Social Council raised concerns about reports of inadequate access to mental health care, including for refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants and recommended Cyprus ensures funding to improve mental health care services at both the preventive and the treatment levels, including by providing community-based services and programmes, in particular for refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants.[4] The situation still remains. Under the context of the National Strategy and Action Plan for the Integration of Third-country Nationals, expected to start being implemented in 2026 the provision of services that will specifically address vulnerabilities, trauma and other mental health needs of BIPs is included. Further monitoring is required.
[1] Politis, She lost the twins due to paperwork and delay in the… registration, 21 September 2022, available in Greek here.
[2] Information provided by Cyprus Refugee Council
[3] Council of Ministers, Decision 85.016 of 30 May 2018, available in Greek here.
[4] UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of Cyprus, October 2024, available here.