A Look at Health Care in Cyprus

If you are thinking of moving abroad to Cyprus to live and work overseas then you may be interested in learning about health care in Cyprus. As a foreigner in a strange or new country it is easy to be apprehensive about the quality of health care that is available. There is no need to worry about that in Cyprus as the World Health Organization consistently ranks Cyprus as one of the healthiest countries in the Mediterranean.

Cyprus began its dedication to health care back in the early 1960s when it gained independence from the United Kingdom. Since that time a priority has been placed upon health care and preventative medicine in the country. Because of this dedication Cyprus can boast a high quality of health care on the island as well as high life expectancy among the residents. In fact, many people from Middle Eastern countries travel to Cyprus for health care services and treatment. A lot of the medical professionals that practice in Cyprus were actually trained in the United Kingdom.

In Cyprus health care services and treatments are provided by both public and private clinics and hospitals. The public and private facilities operate alongside each other. They complement each other with both types of facilities being in main urban areas and health centers in more rural areas to form a network of facilities to meet the needs of the residents of Cyprus.

The public health care system of Cyprus is supported by the social security contribution payments made by workers on the island. Both Cypriots and foreign workers have contributions deducted from their pay automatically. The public health care system of Cyprus offers low cost or free health care for people that contribute to social security as well as their families and retirees. And everyone is able to receive emergency treatment. Full public health service is not available for visitors as they need to have private health insurance.

European Union nationals can have access to free treatment with their European Health Card. This is only for essential treatment and not a routine treatment. Retirees from other European Union countries are able to use the public health system of Cyprus at a reduced cost.

All non European Union visitors to Cyprus will have to pay for health care services if they do not have private insurance. This also applies to non European Union nationals that are retirees in Cyprus. Retirees that have no private health insurance and cannot care for themselves are forced to leave the island and return to their home country.