By the end of the year, the innovative drugs will be included in the NHS, the Minister of Health, Michalis Damianos, said on Friday, while at the same time he said that within the next weeks or months, the problem of the lack of nurses is expected to be addressed.
In his statements on the sidelines of a press conference, at the Ministry of Health, on issues related to viral hepatitis and AIDS, and when asked whether there had been any progress regarding the inclusion of innovative drugs in the NHS, the Minister of Health, after noting that all this in the meantime there were consultations with the OAU both at the leadership level and at the technocratic level due to the technocratic nature of the matter, he confirmed that there was a meeting yesterday with the OAU Board of Directors to discuss the situation and the proposed solutions.
"It was done in a very good atmosphere, the OAU will also discuss the matter at the level of the Board of Directors so that we can resolve the matter within the next days-weeks. We believe that the issue will be resolved," he said.
When asked if this means that the goal of inclusion of innovative medicines in the NHS by the end of the year is certainly achievable, Mr. Damianos said that "by the end of the year, the categories of medicines that should go to the National Health Service must go ", assuring that both the Ministry and the OAU will do everything possible so that the innovative medicines are included in the NHS.
He clarified at the same time that a small category of medicines which are not usually included in the health systems of the states, may remain in the Ministry of Health. "We are talking about specific small categories that would not be given by the OAU," he said, pointing out that the "rest by the end of the year is our goal that they all go to the OAU".
In a question about the intentions of the Ministry of Health regarding the lack of nurses in private hospitals, with the OEB sounding the alarm even for the postponement of surgeries, Michalis Damianos, after repeating that there is a shortage of nurses in Cyprus, explained that the long-term planning of the Ministry is to proceed with a strategy to attract (nursing) students so that long-term needs are met. "In June we will proceed with a communication strategy to inform the public" he said.
Regarding the immediate needs, Mr. Damianos noted that the only way to deal with the problem of understaffing is to bring nurses from abroad. "If they are from the EU, fine, but it seems that this is not possible as there are the same needs in all EU countries" he said, indicating that therefore, the only solution cannot be other than the employment of nurses from third parties countries, always maintaining the same quality criteria.
"The nurses themselves and the Registration Board will recognize the nurses who will be able to work in Cyprus," he explained, adding that the issue is expected to be resolved within the next weeks or months.
Source: KYPE
