Patient organisations are demanding explanations from the government over the exclusion of ambulance services from the new Civil Protection Mechanism, claiming the President had committed to including them in the reform.
- The ongoing situation raises important questions about the future of ambulance services in Cyprus and the government's commitment to improving citizen safety and health care.
The Federation of Cyprus Patient Associations (OSAK) argues that President Nikos Christodoulides pledged a year ago to incorporate ambulance services into this vital reform. Now, they are seeking answers as to why this promise has not materialised.
Concerns are also being raised by private ambulance owners, who argue that the lack of legislation regulating their operations is pushing them towards illegality and threatening company closures. According to Andreas Pembetsios, who represents three private ambulance companies, the absence of regulation endangers their viability, as they are unable to collaborate with private hospitals due to the current legal framework.
The controversy comes as a draft law has been proposed by the Law Office, suggesting a return of ambulances from the General Health System (GHS) to the Health Ministry. OSAK has labelled this move as a “serious step backwards,” raising alarms about the implications for patient care and crisis management.
Miltos Miltiadous, a member of OSAK’s Executive Committee, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the decision, stating, “OSAK has been demanding for two or more years, through data and evidence that prove beyond any doubt the need for creating a Crisis Management Centre/Service/Authority for citizen protection.” He emphasised the critical nature of including ambulance services in any comprehensive civil protection strategy.
In a meeting last November with the President, OSAK reiterated their request for the establishment of an Independent Ambulance Authority, or a Crisis Management Body that would incorporate ambulance services alongside Civil Defence and Fire Service. “The President assured us that by the end of 2025 the government would be ready to proceed with creating this body,” Miltiadous said.
However, he noted with concern that the government is currently prioritising the co-housing of first response services while leaving ambulance services outside this arrangement. This has raised questions about the long-term strategy for emergency response within the country.
Miltiadous also highlighted the contradiction in the government’s approach, stating, “When organised patients warned about the need for creating an Independent Authority, they told us that if something is to be done, it must be proper reform.”
He further explained that while they had proposed a comprehensive reform, the response was to create temporary measures that have instead become permanent. “Unfortunately, we find that this was not something ‘temporary’ but something completely permanent,” he lamented.
Private ambulance operators face a particularly challenging situation. Some companies have been able to register their vehicles with hospitals through what they describe as “virtual” registration. However, newer companies are finding it increasingly difficult to establish such arrangements, as hospitals are hesitant to take on the associated risks and liabilities.
Pembetsios added, “If legislation is not passed, we risk closure,” clarifying that private companies primarily seek to handle non-emergency patient transport, which is distinct from the emergency cases that state ambulances are equipped to manage.
The ongoing situation raises important questions about the future of ambulance services in Cyprus and the government’s commitment to improving citizen safety and health care.
