Newsroom
Cyprus’ long-delayed plan to create a National Ambulance Authority returned to the spotlight on Thursday during a session of the Parliamentary Health Committee, where lawmakers examined a government bill aimed at regulating pre-hospital care and ambulance services across the country.
The discussion, attended by state bodies, health-sector organizations, and trade unions, centered on concerns that the absence of a unified legal framework has allowed ambulance operations, particularly in the private sector, to function with limited oversight for years.
Push to pass the bill before Parliament dissolves
Health Committee Chair Efthymios Diplaros said there is clear political intent to finalize the legislative process quickly, with the goal of sending the bill to the House plenary for a vote on 26 March 2026, ahead of the end of the current parliamentary term in April. He added that the next Parliament would later assess the law’s implementation and propose improvements if needed.
Ambulance Service head warns of “uncontrolled” market
The Head of the Ambulance Service, Riana Konstantinou, told the committee that the bill should have been advanced at least two years earlier. She argued that delays have contributed to a loosely regulated ambulance market, where providers can enter and offer pre-hospital services without sufficient state control.
Konstantinou also described mounting pressure on the public ambulance service, noting that patient transport demand has surged from around 5,000 cases in 2020 to roughly 45,000 today, without corresponding increases in staffing. She warned that the service’s rescue mission is being undermined as crews are increasingly used for routine transfers rather than emergency response.
She called for a clear national policy and greater investment in personnel, training, and resources, stressing that any new authority should strengthen the existing service rather than replace or dilute its core role.
Ministry outlines structure of the proposed authority
Senior Ministry of Health official Karolina Stylianou presented the government’s plan, describing the proposed National Ambulance Authority as a critical national infrastructure project. She said the bill would establish a central system to manage ambulance dispatch and patient distribution, including the creation of a Central Call Coordination Centre, which Cyprus currently lacks.
The legislation also provides for:
- licensing and supervision of all ambulance providers,
- rules governing non-emergency transfers,
- regulation of staffing and labor matters,
- the establishment of an Advisory Committee intended to enhance transparency, and
- transitional measures leading to greater independence of the ambulance service by 31 December 2026.
Stakeholders raise governance and operational concerns
The Health Insurance Organisation (OAY) expressed support for a formal framework but questioned aspects of how the new body would be governed, pointing to Greece’s EKAV model as an example that does not necessarily operate in the same way.
The State Health Services Organisation (OKYpY), represented by General Executive Director Kypros Stavridis, said it supports the ministry’s initiative. He emphasized that the ambulance service has improved significantly over the past five years through investments in infrastructure, vehicles, staffing, and digital systems, and said the transition must safeguard those upgrades.
OKYpY also urged the establishment of measurable quality indicators, continued scientific and medical oversight through committees, and full transparency regarding ambulance routes and operations.
Trade unions demand protections for staff
Trade unions and health-sector representatives broadly supported moving forward with the bill, while stressing the need to secure working conditions and job stability during the transition.
PASYDY’s General Secretary Stratis Matthaiou called for protections for employees transferring from OKYpY to the new authority, including maintaining permanent employment terms. PASYKI President Sotiris Koumas raised questions about whether transferring the service back to the state is necessary and stressed the importance of clearly defined patient pathways and doctor participation in advisory structures.
PASYNO’s General Secretary Savvas Iakovou argued that the ambulance service should have been autonomous from the outset and said the reform’s success will depend on political commitment.
Other groups called for clearer definitions, particularly regarding what constitutes emergency pre-hospital care, to prevent legal loopholes. Private hospital representatives and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry backed the bill, with proposals that private operators should also be able to provide services within the new framework.
MPs seek clarity on costs and private-sector involvement
During the session, AKEL MP Giorgos Loukaidis requested further details on the financial implications, including the cost of purchasing ambulances and the possibility of contracting services to private providers. After the meeting, DIPA MP Giorgos Penintaex publicly supported the creation of the authority, citing gaps in existing oversight and arguing that unified coordination is necessary.
The bill is expected to undergo further clause-by-clause review before being brought to the House for a final vote.
