Two extraordinary meetings today to review controversial HIO appointment

Two wide ranging meetings will be held on Monday to examine issues impacting the national health scheme Gesy, including the controversial appointment to the HIO board which oversees it.

The first will be chaired by the House health committee’s Disy MP Efthimios Diplaros, while the second is an extraordinary meeting of 15 social groups linked to the operation of Gesy.

Both meetings will heavily focus on the controversial appointment of the head of the Cyprus Medical Association (CyMA) Petros Agathangelou to the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) board.

Speaking to Trito on Monday, Diplaros said the House health committee meeting will also focus on other topics regarding health and reassured that Agathangelou’s appointment will not result in a change of structure within Gesy.

Agathangelou himself also said on Saturday he will not change the way the national health scheme works.

“In no case, neither as an institution nor myself personally, will we allow any alteration of Gesy’s philosophy,” he said.

“However, through the constructive and productive participation in the board, the goal is to proceed with continuous improvements, so that Gesy’s quality remains high, this is everyone’s priority,” he added, explaining that he expects to be judged by his work as an HIO board member.

The second meeting will focus solely on Agathangelou’s new role.

Speaking to Trito, general secretary of the federation of Cyprus patients’ associations (Osak) Pambos Papadopoulos said all social groups and organisations within Gesy are opposed to his appointment and will ask that Agathangelou’s new role within the HIO be revoked.

Papadopoulos’ comments were later echoed by Osak president Marios Kouloumas, who told the Cyprus News Agency that the recent appointment presents issues “pertaining to ethics and politics.”

“The issue is very serious, hence the extraordinary meeting called on Monday afternoon,” he said.

“I cannot understand why President Nicos Anastasiades gave his approval to the decision to appoint Dr Agathangelou to the HIO board of directors, which is why I requested a meeting with him during which I will formally ask for the appointment to be revoked.”