Once again, public debate around the pharmacy sector is fixated solely on opening hours. However, this conversation distracts from and diminishes what is truly essential: the role of the pharmacist as a key healthcare professional within the evolving framework of the General Healthcare System (Gesy).
The integration of pharmacies into the Gesy marks one of the most significant reforms in Cyprus’s healthcare system. With over 500 pharmacies now part of the system, the neighbourhood pharmacist has become the most immediately accessible health professional for patients—without appointments, without delays.
The pharmacist–patient relationship has been built over years on trust and respect. This trust must be preserved and utilised to further elevate the pharmacist’s role.
Beyond Dispensing
A pharmacist is not—and should not be viewed as—merely a dispenser of medicines. They are highly trained health professionals who ensure the correct use of medications, prevent adverse reactions, support patients, and monitor adherence to treatment. Especially within the Gesy, where patients can choose their doctor or hospital, they should also be empowered to select their pharmacist as their personal advisor in pharmaceutical care.
Adherence to prescribed therapy is a decisive factor in the success of any treatment. The pharmacist can act as a catalyst in promoting compliance—by explaining, guiding, and addressing concerns. The better the use of medications, the better the outcomes for patients, the lower the cost for the system, and the higher the safety for society.
From COVID-19 to the Future
The pandemic clearly demonstrated the vital role pharmacists play on the front lines. Pharmacists stepped into new responsibilities with competence, dedication, and professionalism, gaining public trust to an unprecedented degree. They became indispensable pillars of public health.
This trust must now be formalised and built upon. The government and relevant bodies, such as the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), must strengthen the role of the pharmacist and provide the tools needed to actively contribute to prevention, diagnosis, adherence, and the management of polypharmacy.
From Pharmacy-as-Store to Pharmacy-as-Service
The push to liberalise opening hours and turn pharmacies into 24-hour “health supermarkets” is not only misleading—it carries real risks. The commercialisation of pharmaceuticals may undermine equal access, distort the social role of pharmacies, and shift the focus away from quality care.
We don’t need more “open” pharmacies; we need more “accessible” pharmacists—with defined roles, responsibilities, and support. Pharmacies shouldn’t become shopping centres, but rather fully functional primary healthcare units.
Advanced pharmaceutical care services—such as medication counselling, patient monitoring, proper storage and distribution, adverse event reporting, and pharmacovigilance—are vital. Pharmacists must also be empowered to contribute to disease prevention, refer patients to doctors when needed, and take part in public health campaigns such as smoking cessation, vaccination drives, and rational antibiotic use, as well as screening efforts for hypertension, diabetes, and more.
As a cornerstone of primary care, the pharmacy should evolve into a healthcare service hub, with the pharmacist at its centre.
The patient-focused model of Gesy requires optimal use of all available resources. And the pharmacist is a valuable resource—not to fill time slots, but to meet real health needs.
The pharmacist serves as the essential link between doctor and patient. With expert knowledge, they are equipped to advise, guide, and protect the patient. For this reason, the State must invest in their role, fully incorporate them into healthcare planning under the Gesy, and recognise their contribution not just in medication distribution, but in holistic health care.
The future of pharmaceutical care does not lie in 24-hour schedules—it lies in the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred services tailored to the real needs of Cypriot patients.
Supporting the pharmacy as an institution, and the pharmacist as a healthcare professional, is an investment in public health. Let’s focus on that.
Honorary President of the Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations (OSAK)
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