Cyprus is having a big problem with its hospitals. There are not enough nurses. This makes it hard for private hospitals to work well. Health Minister Neophytos Charalambidis wants private hospitals to find solutions. They have only one week to do this. The situation is serious and needs quick action.
The country has many doctors. There are about 5.2 doctors for every 1,000 people. This is more than the European Union average. However, there are not enough nurses. The number of nurses is almost the same as doctors. This is much lower than the EU average. Therefore, the country needs more nurses.
Cyprus has an older population now. People live longer, to about 83 years. This is good, but older people often get sick. Heart problems and cancer are common. This puts more pressure on hospitals. Health spending has also gone up a lot.
The money spent on health is not in the right places. Cyprus spends only 5% of its health budget on long-term care. The EU average is 18%. Also, only 2% of GDP is spent on preventing illness. This is too low.
A meeting will happen in one month. They will check if the minister's plan is working. They will talk about new ideas. These ideas might help find and keep nurses. They might also focus more on preventing sickness. Solving the nurse shortage is important for the future of healthcare.