Newsroom
The mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos, has raised serious concerns about the possible misuse of public funds related to the medical procedure known as neurolysis. According to Mayor Phedonos, this procedure, which is used to relieve nerve pain, saw a dramatic and suspicious rise in the number of cases under Cyprus’s General Health System (GESY).
Before the GESY was introduced, fewer than 100 neurolysis procedures were performed annually in Cyprus. However, in 2023, this number skyrocketed to 4,500, costing the GESY more than €17 million. So far in 2024, 3,300 procedures have been performed, with costs exceeding €13 million. The mayor estimates that in the past two years alone, this procedure may have cost the health system over €30 million — funds that could have been used for crucial upgrades, such as renovating the Paphos General Hospital.
The mayor didn’t hold back in accusing certain individuals of profiting from these inflated costs, describing it as “embezzlement of public funds”
Phedonos alleged that numerous complaints about this issue were ignored by Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) officials. He pointed out a stark difference in costs for the procedure's supplies, such as needles, claiming that while the same needle costs €268 in Greece, the GESY is billed up to €650 in Cyprus. He also noted that doctors' fees for neurolysis can reach as high as €3,200 per procedure, even though the procedure itself only takes 15 to 20 minutes and doesn’t require hospitalization.
The mayor didn’t hold back in accusing certain individuals of profiting from these inflated costs, describing it as “embezzlement of public funds” and suggesting that incompetent officials are turning a blind eye. He called out Panagiotis Petrou, a senior HIO official, for scheduling a meeting about neurolysis only after the issue was made public, questioning whether this sudden reaction was due to concerns over the allegations.
Mayor Phedonos promised to follow up on the matter, highlighting the need for accountability and stricter oversight to prevent further abuse of the health system.
