Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides and the Chairman and members of the Cyprus Oncology Centre’s Board of Trustees had a meeting on Friday during which they looked into solutions to the problems and the financial deficits that the Centre faces and which are related mostly with the fact that the Centre is a non-profit organization participating in the General Healthcare System (GHS) and does not provide treatments for other diseases that could be more profitable than those in the field of oncology.
In statements after the meeting, that was also attended by Health Minister, Popi Kanari, Board of Trustees Chairman Christos Triantafyllides said that they had a very useful and constructive meeting with the President, whom he thanked for his very positive approach to the issues raised before him.
Triantafyllides said that they informed the President regarding the operation of the Oncology Centre and recalled that the Centre is the only one operating through the partnership of the public and the private sector for 25 years now.
He expressed certainty that President Christodoulides will promote, through the Cabinet of Ministers, solutions for problems that the Centre has been facing so that this non-profit organization can continue to provide medical care to those fighting cancer.
Replying to a question, Triantafyllides said that they informed the President on how things have changed in relation to the operation and financing of the Centre, and the need for the Centre to be dealt within GHS in such a way that it will continue to provide its medical services to patients.
Asked whether the Centre must be expanded as a result of the increase in cancer cases, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees stressed that apart from the increase in the number of cases there is also an increasing trend in healing and providing optimal methods of medical treatment.
Replying to a question, Triantafyllides said that the most important problems of the Centre are related with the the fact that as a non-profit organization that has joined GHS, the Centre’s income is determined by a specific methodology and this results every year to a deficit in the balance sheets.
Moreover, he noted that the Centre is the only medical centre in Cyprus that does not provide other forms of treatment (for other diseases) that may be more profitable.
