Some 92 per cent of Cypriots consider that the health system Gesy has improved the quality of life of the population, a survey revealed on Friday.
The survey was carried out to mark five years since the introduction of Gesy on June 1, 2019 and was conducted by IMR research facility at the University of Nicosia.
It was conducted in April this year island-wide with 500 people over the phone.
When asked if Gesy had improved the quality of health services, 92 per cent of participants answered in the affirmative. Some 86 per cent said it had reduced their health costs while 14 per cent said it hadn’t.
According to those polled, 61 per cent said they had used Gesy in the past five years, 6 per cent said they had gone private, 28 per cent said they had used both and 5 per cent said they hadn’t needed to see a doctor.
Around 94 per cent said they had used Gesy in the last two years, primarily to visit their personal doctor while 80 per cent had visited a specialist, 75 per cent had received medication, 71 per cent had used laboratory and diagnostic services, 54 per cent had gone to a dentist, and 20 per cent had received inpatient care at hospitals.
As far as the weaknesses identified in the system, 32 per cent of participants pointed to the waiting time to see a specialist or have an operation, 24 per cent said the non-coverage of specific tests or medicines and 23 per cent cited the need to obtain a referral from a GP to see a specialist.