The debate organised by AKEL highlighted need for a health system that supports parenthood

 

9 February 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The need for quality and affordable health services in childbearing – from conception and pregnancy to childbirth and the health of mothers and newborns – was highlighted at the roundtable discussion organised by AKEL on Friday, 9 February 2024.

The discussion, which took place within the context of AKEL’s national “Young Parents First” campaign that has been underway for three months, was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Health Insurance Organisation, the state health services OKYPY, the Pancyprian Medical Association, the Society of Perinatal Medicine, the Paediatric Society, the Cyprus Association of Midwives and Nurses, as well as the non-governmental organizations “Baby Miracles”, “Birth Forward” and the Alkinoos Artemiou Foundation.

Opening the debate, the Head of Social Policy of AKEL, Evanthia Savva, stressed the importance of the health system in supporting parenthood and emphasised the dialogue that AKEL is conducting within the framework of its campaign with state bodies, the scientific community, social organisations and young people in general.

The Head of the AKEL’s Health Policy, Dr. Athos Georgiou spoke about AKEL’s long-standing involvement in health issues and for citizens’ right of access to quality health services, focusing on the National Health Scheme (GESY) and public hospitals.

The discussion dealt with issues such as the infrastructure and staffing of the gynaecological and obstetric clinics of public hospitals and the neonatal intensive care unit at the Makarios Hospital, as well as the importance of prenatal check-ups and preventive interventions for newborns.

A particular issue raised in the discussion was children born prematurely – one in 10 children are born prematurely in Cyprus – the support they need in terms of infrastructure and special measures, as well as the mothers of premature children for whom an increase in maternity leave should be considered.

Other issues raised were the way in which strategies for natural childbirth and the promotion of breastfeeding must be implemented, while AKEL’s positions on subsidising the veracity test and further state support for IVF for the first child for low-income groups were also discussed, as well as the further development of home-based provision of obstetric and perinatal services and maternity and child services by health visitors.

On their part, AKEL MPs who participated in the debate, Giorgos Koukoumas and Marina Nicolaou expressed the Party’s readiness to promote proposals and demands related to everything concerning the health system and parenthood.

9.2.2024