A broad meeting was held today, Thursday, April 24, at the Municipal Hall of the Municipality of Ayia Napa with the participation of the Members of Parliament of the Famagusta District, representatives of all parties, pharmacy owners in the area, as well as the Deputy Mayors of Ayia Napa and Sotiras of the Municipality of Ayia Napa, Messrs. Antonis Christou and Antonis Koumis.
The meeting discussed the opening hours of pharmacies in Ayia Napa and the implications of the recent regulations promoted by the Ministry of Health. The common denominator among those present, both pharmacists and MPs, was disagreement with the proposed changes and the relevant announcements.
During the meeting, it was noted that, following communication with the Minister of Health and the Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services, an official letter is expected to be sent to the Ministry of Health within the next 24 hours. This letter will include a specific proposal to restore the operating hours of pharmacies based on the original decree of 2022. This initiative aims to resolve the problems that have arisen with the new decree of October 2024. It will be documented with data, such as the number of declared overnight stays and the seasonal increase in the population in Ayia Napa, thus supporting the request to restore free hours throughout the year.
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Health Committee, Mr. Efthimios Diplaros, stated that the Ministry of Health is preparing a relevant bill, which is to be subject to legislative review and consultation. The bill will provide for the possibility for the Minister of Health to exempt, by decree, specific areas, such as tourist areas, from the general opening hours regulations for special reasons. “If the relevant bill is submitted to us, we are willing to support it, as we consider it fair for the Minister to have the ability to adjust the regulations according to the specificities of each area,” he stated characteristically.
In their joint statement, the Deputy Mayors of Ayia Napa and Sotira, Mr. Antonis Christou and Mr. Antonis Koumis, emphasized "that as a local government, we stand in solidarity with the pharmacists of our region, who are called upon to serve not only the permanent residents but also the ever-increasing number of visitors, especially during the summer months."
"The implementation of a single, restrictive opening hours," they said, "without taking into account local specificities, does not serve the real needs of our society. We call for the immediate reinstatement of the free opening hours of pharmacies in Ayia Napa for the entire year, based on the data and experience of previous years."
The meeting concluded in a spirit of cooperation and shared goal to immediately find a solution that serves the needs of both industry professionals and the local community.
