The country is located on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea and is comprised mainly of individuals of Middle Eastern descent. The system of healthcare in Cyprus is a two pronged program both by providing for the healthcare system and with it an active promotion of preventive medicine. The country has a robust number of foreign trained medical professionals hailing from the United Kingdom, being a former colony itself. This has made the system of healthcare in Cyprus a haven for foreigners and immigrants seeking medical assistance.
The healthcare in Cyprus is relatively inexpensive as the many public hospitals provide medical services for free. Accompanying the low cost of hospital care is the low cost of private health insurance. This is very important especially for emergency situations and to assist in keeping the cost of medication manageable.
The low cost of healthcare in Cyprus is a bonus but the most popular reason for many immigrants and tourists to the country is the tropical climate. The environment in the country is still quite pristine, as there are no heavy industries that affect the balance of nature in the country. The country is also proactive in its sewage and sanitation system so as not to add on to the environmental degradation of the country.
The World Health Organization has adjudged the system of healthcare in Cyprus as amongst the best in the world. There are no vaccination requirements for entry into the country as the occurrences of epidemics and infectious outbreaks are low. Safety as to water and food are under strict review by governmental agencies for quality and safety. Public hospitals are located in the major urban areas of the country while smaller government clinics are also spread all throughout the country. Finally, there are a number of private hospitals and clinics that are run by foreign trained medical practitioners.
As for emergency care, hospitals and clinics provide life saving measures for free. As for treatments post procedure, cost depends on the status of the individual. If the individual is considered unqualified, then payments for full costs for treatment would be required. Qualified persons are those whose incomes are less than 9,000 CY? or families with incomes less than 18,000 CY?. Also included in the qualified status are European Union nationals who are in the country and may be able to avail of free medical benefits from the public healthcare system of the country.
Anyone employed in Cyprus regardless of residency or nationality is required to register for social insurance in the District Labor Office near their home. After registration, the individual receives a medical card and would be the proof of coverage under the social security system. With registration, the individual would be entitled to benefits and pensions at percentage values, particularly 16.6% of salary, with 6.3% paid by the employee and the remainder covered by the State. As for European Union nationals, so long as they have paid their social insurance fees in their home countries, they can avail of free healthcare for a defined period of time. Currently, the period of allotment is two years after completion of documentary requirements.
As can be seen, the system of healthcare in Cyprus is proactive, with active campaigns on preventive medicine and high government participation in medical care and costs. The government has even looked forward into the future, as reported in the Expat Forum, as issues are "being addressed through the provision of commercial incentives to rapidly disseminate and bring about technology advances in the form of equipment or pharmaceuticals." Look forward to a better system in Cyprus for the future.
This article has been provided by Jose Marc Castro, the online editor at the expatforum.com Expat Forum.com - the primary online community for expats. The site also provides information and advice on matters such as expatforum.com/articles/health/health-care-in-cyprus.html healthcare in Cyprus.
No comments:
Post a Comment