The government has the primary responsibility for the implementation of the NHS

Statement by the AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou on the President’s statements on the National Health Scheme

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 18 February 2019, Nicosia

The President of the Republic, in an interview published today in the newspaper “Politis” is implying that the responsibility for the implementation of National Health Scheme NHS belongs to the House of Representatives and the political forces, which unanimously supported the single-insurance system, while the government’s position was for a multi-insurance system.

In relation to this issue, AKEL states the following:

The responsibility for the implementation of the NHS lies primarily with the government. The bills that were approved unanimously by the House of Representatives two and a half years ago were put forth by the government. The government has to lead the whole effort. It has to find solutions to the problems that exist, as well as to the reasonable demands and concerns that are raised.

Many of the problems that exist are not unrelated to the fact that the government has delayed the beginning of the preparations for the implementation of the NHS. It is the government’s responsibility because public hospitals, which must constitute the backbone of the NHS are in bad state of affairs because of the government’s austerity policies it is imposing in the public health sector too.

AKEL will continue with consistency to strive to implement the NHS in line with the philosophy and character that has been set out in the decisions taken, as well as within the timetables set. We stress that for the implementation of the NHS we will do everything possible for the benefit of the people and society.

AKEL, on the other hand, is not ready to assume responsibilities that belong to the executive power. After all, the Anastasiades-DISY government is in its seventh year in power, and the first that must understand it is the President himself.