The state health services organisation (Okypy) has pledged to include new nursing positions in its 2026 budget, Pasydy said on Wednesday.

The new posts will cover both general nursing and mental‑health nursing. According to Pasydy, the positions will replace nurses who retired in 2025 and those expected to retire in 2026.

They will also help remedy gaps caused by long‑term sick leave, maternity leave or staff resignations.

The union says the additions aim to address a “significant staffing deficit” in public hospitals.

Okypy has also promised that if new hospital departments open, a supplementary budget will be submitted. That supplementary budget would include additional nursing roles to meet increased demand.

Pasydy urges the health and finance ministries, and parliament, to approve the full number of proposed positions.

They argue that proper staffing is crucial for public hospitals to function without disruptions and to ensure quality care for the public.

Public‑hospital staffing in Cyprus has faced serious strain for years. A recent report said the shortfall stood at 157 nurses, there were 2,789 working, against a requirement of 2,946.

In many hospitals, services have already suffered due to understaffing. Some rely heavily on commuter nurses, professionals travelling daily from other cities to cover shifts, a system that unions say is unsustainable.

Other problems include a high number of staff on long‑term leave. Recent estimates suggest that roughly 135 nurses are absent at any one time because of maternity, medical or other personal leave reasons.

As a result, hospitals often depend on overtime work to keep services running. Unions have repeatedly warned that this situation is not sustainable and could undermine the quality of care.

If Okypy’s plan is approved and implemented, the new nursing positions will increase staff numbers in public hospitals.

Additional posts may be added if new departments open or existing services expand.

The implementation depends on approval by the health and finance ministries and the recruitment and placement of nurses according to hospital needs.