Cyprus is assessing options for securing a new air ambulance aircraft to transport patients abroad, although no final decisions have yet been made, according to Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) Director Dr Monica Kyriakou.
Speaking on the “Mesimeri kai Kati” programme, Kyriakou said the need for a more effective air ambulance system became clear to the HIO shortly after the organisation’s new administration took office last October.
She explained that the existing system, which provides immediate access to air transfers, cannot cover every need, particularly when a patient must be transported within only a few hours.
“We realised very quickly that the existing system through which we secure immediate air transfers is not able to meet our needs in every case,” she said.
Need for immediate transfers
Kyriakou referred to the case of a patient who needed to be transferred to Greece for a transplant, highlighting the importance of having a suitable air ambulance available at short notice.
She said discussions with the Health Ministry began early, while the establishment of the new National Ambulance Authority was also awaited.
The relevant legislation has now been passed, with the new authority expected to begin operating at the start of next year.
According to Kyriakou, the scenario currently being considered involves securing a suitable aircraft that would be operated by the National Ambulance Service.
“We believe that securing an aircraft operated operationally by the National Ambulance Service is the ideal scenario for everyone,” she said.
Aircraft equipped for intensive care
Kyriakou explained that these aircraft are not conventional means of transport. They are equipped with specialised medical equipment and facilities that allow patients to receive continuous support throughout the flight.
“In simple terms, these aircraft have conditions similar to those found in an intensive care unit,” she said.
Patients can be transported on a specially designed stretcher secured inside the aircraft, surrounded by the equipment required for monitoring, medical intervention and mechanical respiratory support.
This allows patients who are on ventilators to be transported, as well as children and newborns who require an incubator.
A specialised medical and nursing team is also present throughout the flight. The composition of the team varies depending on the patient’s condition and specific needs.
“These are conditions that continue the patient’s care during the flight, just as it would be provided in a hospital,” Kyriakou said.
She clarified, however, that these capabilities do not apply to every patient, but to specific cases requiring specialised support.
Around 100 air transfers
Kyriakou said around 700 patients have so far been transferred from Cyprus abroad for treatment or specialised medical care.
Of these, approximately 100 involved air transfers.
The air ambulance transfers cover both cases requiring immediate action and situations where there is sufficient time to plan the transfer.
No timeline for new aircraft
Regarding the purchase or securing of a new aircraft, Kyriakou stressed that there is currently no firm timetable, as the process remains under assessment.
“We are in constant contact with the Health Ministry and the new National Ambulance Authority. We have also submitted the necessary information and studies required to move in this direction,” she said.
The final decision now rests with the state, which will also need to establish the necessary timetable so that all the bodies involved can plan their next steps.
“We are now waiting for the state to make the decision and provide the necessary timetable, which is obviously essential for us to be able to plan as well,” Kyriakou concluded.
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