Appointment of the first Patient Rights Commissioner to take place in September, says Health Minister

The appointment of the first Patient Rights Commissioner in Cyprus will be completed in September, Health Minister Michalis Damianou stated. He said the process is at an advanced stage and the appointee’s name will be announced within two weeks; the selection took longer due to the significance of the new institution.

Damianou emphasized that oversight of the national healthcare system GESY has been transferred to the ministry according to the law, and staff of the former Health Commissioner continue to perform their previous functions in the same offices and with the same equipment, so complaint handling is not interrupted.

The ministry has already announced a vacancy for the director of the new oversight service; this position is included in the 2026 budget draft. According to the minister, the activities of the new Oversight Module and reporting will be recorded for the current year and published in 2026, as provided by the amended law.

Responding to criticism from the AKEL party about a lack of transparency, the minister called such remarks “unfair,” noting that oversight continues and staff have retained their duties under ministry management. For residents, this means the complaint review mechanism is preserved, and in September there will be a commissioner to whom citizens can directly address their concerns; follow official announcements from the Health Ministry.