Okypy: Nicosia General’s accredited clinical labs specialised in rare, serious cases

By Dr Denise Alexandrou*

The Clinical Laboratories of Nicosia General Hospital, under the State Health Services Organisation (Okypy), offer a comprehensive range of laboratory tests (haematological, biochemical, immunological etc.). Concurrently, the labs operate as reference centres for numerous specialised tests, serving provincial state hospitals, but also private laboratories. Moreover, our exclusive nationwide services extend to the provision of specialised tests for Stem Cell Transplantation and Histocompatibility – Immunogenetics laboratories. The former, maintains and operates the Public Cord Blood Bank, while managing the collection, processing and storage of stem cells from patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation, due to haematological conditions. The Histocompatibility – Immunogenetics lab maintains the Registry for kidney and/or pancreas transplant candidate patients, performs pre-transplant compatibility tests, between donors and recipients, and monitors transplantation progression in recipients, using an array of immunological biomarkers.

Commitment to quality

The NGH clinical laboratories are accredited and fully adhere to international standards, such as CY EN ISO 15189:2012 for clinical trials, NetCord-FACT for cytological tests and EFI Standards for immunogenetic tests. In line with our commitment to the highest quality standards, we conduct rigorous internal and external interlaboratory control tests, while undergoing on-site audits by quality control bodies from Cyprus and abroad, including inspections by the Cyprus Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation. Our track record in managing rare and severe cases, coupled with cutting-edge equipment and our highly qualified staff, consistently deliver outstanding audit results.

Our future goals

Looking ahead, we strive to leverage scientific advancements, collaborating closely with the Stem Cell Laboratory and Haematology Department to facilitate the application of novel CAR T-cell-mediated immunotherapies for haematological malignancies. On an administrative front, plans are under way to extend our blood collection service schedule to include afternoons, and to establish partnerships with private laboratories for coordinated, centralised testing procedures for non-common and costly specialised tests.

Reasons to choose our laboratories

The prognosis of a disease is directly linked to accurate and timely diagnosis. Therefore, the reliability and short turnaround time of laboratory results are crucial, which we can confidently and consistently ensure. Moreover, supporting state clinical laboratories and, more broadly, state hospitals, constitutes a necessity for the continuity of GHS, our country’s most crucial societal achievement. Blood samples are collected (for beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the GHS) at the health centres of Nicosia district and at Nicosia General Hospital’s Blood Collection Area, Monday to Saturday, from 7am to 2.30pm, without appointments.

For inquiries and more information about the Clinical Laboratories of Nicosia General Hospital, please visit the dedicated webpage for Okypy’s Clinical Laboratories

*Director of Clinical Laboratories, Nicosia General Hospital, State Health Services Organisation