No lives will be in danger during the general strike on Thursday and no patients will be left without proper medical care, the State health services organisation (Okypy) said on Wednesday.

Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou told CyBC radio the aim was for the A&E and hospital wards to operate with skeleton staff.

The strike, affecting all sectors including both public and private workers, will begin at 11am and end at 2pm.

Charilaou said all scheduled operations would be finished by 11am when, and that emergencies would be attended to at all times.

According to the Okypy action plan, patients with scheduled operations or outpatient visits during strike hours will be notified of changes to their appointments, which will be rescheduled as soon as possible.