In 2024, the average life expectancy in Cyprus reached 83.2 years, which is significantly higher than the average in the European Union.
The inhabitants of the island live on average 1.6 years longer than most Europeans. However, these positive figures hide serious problems related to the lifestyle of the population and the sustainability of the healthcare system.
According to the Country Health Profile 2025: Cyprus report prepared by the OECD and the European Commission, the country’s healthcare has changed dramatically since the introduction of the GHS General Health System. Government spending on medicine has increased to 77% of total funding, compared with only 42% in 2018. This has become a tangible relief for residents: the share of personal medical expenses has almost tripled and now stands at about 18%.
Despite the high life expectancy, the so-called “preventive gap” remains in Cyprus. More than a quarter of all deaths are related to behavioral factors such as smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol consumption and insufficient physical activity. These habits significantly increase the risk of developing chronic diseases.
The main causes of death remain cardiovascular diseases and cancer, which account for almost half of all cases. Experts are particularly concerned about the high rate of smoking among adults, the increase in overweight among adolescents and the low physical activity of young people. All this creates an additional burden on the healthcare system in the long term.
Although Cyprus is one of the European countries with the highest number of doctors per capita, the situation with nurses remains critical. Their number is almost equal to the number of doctors, whereas in most EU countries, nurses are the main pillar of the healthcare system. This directly affects the quality of patient care, especially in hospitals and long-term care facilities.
Infrastructure also remains limited. The number of hospital beds in Cyprus is significantly lower than the European level, and the cost of long-term care for the elderly is only a small part of the health budget. At the same time, the country’s population is aging rapidly, and the need for such care will only grow.
Experts warn that the combination of an aging population and an increase in the number of chronic patients will lead to increased costs for medicines and medical services. Cyprus currently spends about 2% of GDP on disease prevention, which is considered insufficient to prevent future problems.
Although the majority of the country’s residents rate their health as good or very good, the report highlights the need for a change in approach. The healthcare system should gradually shift its focus from treating existing diseases to prevention, early diagnosis, and healthy lifestyle support. Only in this case, Cyprus will be able to maintain a high life expectancy and financial stability of medicine in the coming years.
A source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/srednyaya-prodolzhitelnost-zhizni-kipre-vyirosla
