Health Minister Michalis Damianos and the Deputy Health Minister of Greece, Marios Themistocleous, signed an updated public health agreement in Nicosia on Monday.

The agreement includes the enhancement of medical training in Cyprus and the mutual recognition of specialisations. Furthermore, it covers the cooperation of both countries in obtaining pharmaceutical products to address shortages and possible collective purchasing where possible, as well as developing cooperation on pharmaceutical regulations.

“The agreement helps Cyprus in the event of shortages as we have a much bigger market to buy from,” Damianos told the Cyprus Mail.

He said that there were two main areas of concern: firstly, the acquisition of pharmaceuticals and secondly, the improvement of the system of awarding specialisations to doctors on the island.

Regarding the purchase of medicines, Damianos said this would be facilitated by allowing the Health Insurance Agency (HIO) to purchase medicines directly from Greece if necessary, and by allowing joint procurement of medicines at better prices for both countries.

As for the improvement in the awarding of specialisations, the minister explained that from now on, professionals will be able to take an exam in Greece and then receive a certificate approving their qualification.

Until now, doctors in Cyprus have only been able to specialise in certain areas, such as cardiology or psychiatry. Given the size of the country, the Cyprus Medical Council was unable to approve further specialisations due to a lack of standardisation, testing capacity and infrastructure such as university hospitals.

Now doctors will be able to study in Cyprus and then take an exam in Greece that will officially recognise their qualifications. This includes specialisations in infectious diseases or orthopaedics.

“This is to ensure that our specialists are qualified to carry the title,” Damianou said, adding that it is particularly important for the profession as it forces doctors to take examinations that prove their qualifications not only in practice but also on paper.

In addition to Monday’s agreement, Cyprus and Greece had signed two agreements on organ transplants in September 2024. The first agreement concerned cross-border kidney transplants and the second focused on lung transplants. According to Themistocleos, patients in both countries have already benefitted from the treaty.

“We are five years after the start of the pandemic, which showed in the most obvious way that the health sector, health systems have been tested and will continue to be tested by the continuous challenges and we need the cooperation of all of us,” the Greek Health Minister concluded after the ministers meeting.

The initial agreement dates back to 1987, was revised in 2011 and has now been updated to match “the need for modernisation and adaptation to modern requirements”.