Overview

Cyprus is quickly emerging as one of the leading and most innovative healthcare systems in all of Europe. Establishing a national healthcare system in 2013, Cyprus has recently placed great focus on their healthcare system and on increasing its coordination, reducing wasteful practices, and being more financially reasonable. The cost of medical procedures in Cyprus is significantly lower when compared to countries such as the United States, Japan, or the United Kingdom.

Cyprus Healthcare System

The healthcare system in the Republic of Cyprus is separated into public and private sectors. Public healthcare is either very inexpensive or free for citizens of the EU. The private healthcare costs can also be relatively low when compared to prices of surrounding countries. You will find both state-funded and private hospitals in all the major cities in Cyprus. The hospitals located in the south of Cyprus are generally considered better than the ones in the north of the island.  

The Healthcare system in Cyprus has been frequently compared to the systems in developed countries such as the US and UK and has been recognized by the World Health Organization as having the same level of care quality as theses developed nations. Cyprus attracts around 2.4 million tourists every year, and an increasing number of these tourist are there for medical procedures.

There are only a handful of hospitals in Cyprus, which makes sense given the island’s small size. Approximately 53% of Cyprus’ hospitals are privately owned facilities (both for-profit and nonprofit), while the remaining 47% are public facilities funded primarily state and federal governmental bodies.

When traveling to Cyprus for a medical procedure, it is highly advised to seek care in one of their leading private hospitals instead of having the procedure done through the public healthcare system.

Cyprus does not have any hospitals accredited by the Join Commission International at this time. Hospitals in Cyprus have verifying accrediting bodies including the CHKS, the International Hospital Accreditation Services, the Cyprus Ministry of Health, and various other agencies.

Top hospitals for medical tourism in Brazil

• Iasis Private Hospital: Established in 2004, Iasis is a medical, diagnostic, and surgical facility in Cyprus. Iasis focuses on provided the highest quality of care in a pleasant and hospitable environment.
• Near East University Hospital: Near East University Hospital was built in 2010 as a specialty facility. Near East places great attention on technological advancement and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, which allows them to treat serious ailments and diseases, such as lupus and cancer, more effectively than most of their counterparts.
• Nicosia General Hospital: First opening in 2006, Nicosia General Hospital specializes in high-level secondary and tertiary medical care and focuses on continuous improvements through business process evaluations and leveraging new technologies.
• Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus: Launched in 2013, the Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus is a private institution focusing on interventional radiology, pediatric care, and heart health (among other areas).

Common treatments done by medical tourists in Cyprus

• Diagnostic Testing
• General Surgery
• General Medicine
• Dentistry
• Fertility Treatment
• Eye Surgery
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Cardiovascular Diagnostics
• Orthopedic Surgery

Cost of medical treatments in Brazil

The following are cost comparisons between Medical procedures in Brazil and equivalent procedures in the United States:

Medical Procedures
Procedure	US Hospitals	Cyprus	Average Savings
Cosmetic Surgeries/Rhinoplasty	$5,000-$10,000	$1,600-$2,000	212% - 400%
Breast Augmentation (standard)	$9,162-$10,995	$1,600-$2,000	472%-449%
Laser Teeth Whitening	$1,500	$300	400%

Malpractice and liability laws in Cyprus

The protection of an individuals’ right to life, health care, safety and right to dignified treatment is provided in Cyprus through the Safeguarding and Protection of the Patients' Rights Law of 2004, Law 1(I)/2005 and the Private Hospitals (Establishment and Operation Assessment) Law of 2001. The timeframe to act on medical negligence is within 3 years from the date of accrual of the tortious event. Any claims brought after this period will be automatically dismissed.

Pros

• Leading Medical Professionals

  Most doctors working in Cyprus are trained in leading hospitals in either the UK or the US. These doctors are exposed to the latest technological advancements and equipment early in the training.

• Vacation destination

  Cyprus boasts a temperate climate with 3,000 glorious hours of sunshine annually. Cyprus is essentially a tropical paradise, which will make recovery after your medical procedure relaxing and rejuvenating.

• English is spoken by the general public

  Approximately 73% of all Cypriots speak English, making communicating with locals and medical professionals easy and hassle free.

Cons

• Lack of JCI accreditations

  No JCI accredited hospitals on the entire island.

• Long waiting list for some private Hospitals

  Because health coverage is so financially feasible and readily available in Cyprus, the wait times to be seen at public and, in some cases, private hospitals is long in comparison to other neighboring countries.

• High Cost of Living

  The cost of living in Cyprus is high and even on par with some countries that are much more developed. If you are planning to have an extended stay or recover period, it is advisable to look at lodging rates and accommodations ahead of time and make plans accordingly.

Traveling to Cyprus

Larnaca International Airport is the main international gateway and largest of Cyprus’ commercial airports. The other major airport in the country is Paphos International Airport and it is located on the southwestern coast of the island. Average estimated travel time in hours

From/To	Brazil
New York	13
Los Angeles	17
Miami	15
Toronto	13
Paraguay	15
Uruguay	14
Venezuela	13
Bolivia	16
Dubai	4
Riyadh	3
Kuwait	2
London	5

Entry and exit requirements to Cyprus

Citizens of the United States and Canada are required to have a valid travel documentation to entry in Cyprus. The most common and preferred travel documentation is a passport or VISA, but other types of travel documents are also required. Passports should have at least six months of validity remaining. Proof of sufficient funds and a return airline ticket are a necessity for international travel to Cyprus. One thing to note is that you’re able to enter the Republic of Cyprus for a period of 90 days for tourist/business purposes without a visa.

Statistics for medical tourism in Cyprus

Medical Tourism is an intensely growing sector that comprises a vital component of Cyprus’ overall tourism strategy. In recent years, Cyprus has begun welcoming an increasingly large number of foreign patients at their local facilities. Although Medical Tourism is a relatively new area for officials in Cyprus, the country already has the key ingredients to capture a large slice of the growing market. Because Medical Tourism is so new in Cyprus, reliable statistics and accurate data has not been developed.