The council of ministers came in for strong criticism on Tuesday for not broadening the scope of a neonatal screening programme that checks for likely genetic defects.

The Cyprus Alliance for Rare Disease (Card) said it was deeply disappointed with the council’s decision not to grant the go-ahead for the programme to be enhanced.

The proposal was to check for a further eight inherited metabolic disorders, but it has been seriously delayed and most recently rejected.

Card stated that they were informed by the health minister on Friday that it had been rejected – “for reasons which we do not understand and despite the fact that it’s a public health procedure which offers many medical, economic and societal benefits”.

They explained that the plan was cost reviewed in 2014 but was not approved, with too much time having elapsed since then and the proposals being again reviewed.

It received senior approval across other branches and was put to the council for the green light but was instead rejected.