By Hector Georgiou
Complaints concerning services not covered by the General Healthcare System (GeSY), reports of personal data being verbally disclosed in pharmacies, problems with the issuance of referrals for medical examinations, as well as records of surgeries that were allegedly never performed, make up the cases submitted to the Cyprus Federation of Patient Associations for December 2025.
Specifically, Cyprus Federation of Patient Associations (OSAK) received 37 complaints during the month. In one case, a patient reported having previously undergone surgery under GeSY, during which they were informed that a specific medical procedure had also been performed, as deemed necessary. Recently, due to persistent symptoms and ongoing complications, the patient required a second operation at the same site by a different doctor. According to the second physician, the medical system records show that the procedure claimed by the first doctor was carried out; however, the findings from the second surgery indicate that the procedure had not, in fact, been performed.
In another case, a citizen complained about inadequate care and service provided to his wife at a hospital following a serious post-operative complication. According to the complaint, the woman experienced acute pain and clear signs of infection, prompting a call to an ambulance. Despite the severity of her condition, she reportedly remained in the waiting area for approximately four hours before being examined. During her hospitalization, communication with medical staff was described as difficult, with limited support provided. The patient was given medication and discharged, despite concerns about a potential deterioration in her condition. The following day, her health worsened, leading to a second ambulance transfer to hospital. According to the complaint, further delays and difficulties in securing a hospital bed were observed. The patient was eventually admitted and began receiving specialized treatment.
Another complaint concerns practices in pharmacies, where citizens are asked to state their date of birth and identity card number. The complainant argues that this practice constitutes a violation of personal data protection and exposes citizens to serious risks, as such sensitive information can easily be overheard or intercepted by third parties within the pharmacy. Combined with other details, such as phone numbers or email addresses, this information could be exploited for cybercrime, with unpredictable consequences. The complainant has called for the matter to be examined immediately by the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection, the Health Insurance Organization (OAY), the Ministry of Health, and other competent authorities. He stresses that in 2025 it is imperative to adopt a modern and secure solution that does not require the routine verbal disclosure of sensitive personal data. Beneficiaries, he notes, should not be required to state personal details such as their date of birth or identity card number aloud in pharmacies in order to retrieve prescriptions.
Following communication with OAY, it was clarified that the recommended practice is for beneficiaries to present their identity card to the pharmacist for secure verification, or alternatively to use the prescription number, which can be accessed through the Beneficiaries’ Portal or found on the printed prescription.
At the same time, OAY is examining additional measures to further facilitate beneficiaries and enhance data protection, including:
- the use of barcode or QR code scanning for prescriptions
- integration with the “Digital Citizen” application
- and, in the future, a mobile application allowing access to active prescriptions.
Another patient submitted a serious complaint regarding alleged abuse of the GeSY system by certain doctors, claiming that some physicians record a second visit for the same patient on the same day. The complainant further alleges that certain doctors register a high volume of examinations, resulting in unusually high daily and monthly earnings, and request follow-up visits without clear medical justification. He has called for audits of doctors with exceptionally high incomes.
Intervention by the Cypriot Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology
In response to the complaint involving alleged false declarations of a surgical procedure by an orthopaedic surgeon, the Cypriot Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology stressed that public targeting, generalizations, and insinuations of guilt before investigations are completed do not serve the interests of patients. The Society added that if wrongdoing is proven, or if a conviction or disciplinary ruling is issued against any doctor, it fully supports the imposition of clear consequences and the strict application of the law.
Full statement:
“As the Cypriot Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, we feel compelled to comment with calmness and respect, as such public discussions touch on sensitive issues and directly affect public trust in the healthcare system.
We fully understand patients’ concerns. We hear them and we respect them. Patients have the right to demand safety, quality, transparency and accountability. This is non-negotiable.
At the same time, however, all parties, the media, institutional representatives and the state, must exercise extreme caution in their public statements, particularly when referring to specific professionals or cases under investigation. The presumption of innocence is not a technicality; it is a fundamental principle of law and must be upheld in practice, not just in words. Investigations must be carried out by the competent authorities and be based on evidence.
Public targeting, generalizations and premature insinuations of guilt do not protect patients. On the contrary, they create fear, confusion and injustice. If and when wrongdoing is proven, or a conviction or disciplinary decision is issued against any doctor, we fully agree that there must be clear consequences and strict enforcement of the law, without exceptions or cover-ups.
Society needs truth, justice and institutional seriousness. This is the only framework that truly protects patients and safeguards the integrity of medical practice.”
Read this article in its original Greek here.
