Mass Doctor Strike in Cyprus Averted

Cypriot doctors in state hospitals have canceled a planned 48-hour strike scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday. The protest action was called off following negotiations between doctors' unions, the state health organization (Okypy), and direct intervention by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.

After discussions that also involved Health Minister Michael Damianos, the parties reached a compromise, leading to the suspension of the strike.

As a result of the talks, a new framework agreement for 2024-2026 was proposed. The terms of the contract will be discussed with mediation from the Ministry of Health and the participation of the Cyprus Medical Association as an observer. The deadline for finalizing the agreement is set for October 31.

It was also decided that an independent firm acceptable to both doctors' unions and Okypy will review the financial details of the conflict that arose in 2023 based on the existing agreement. The findings of this independent review will be binding on all parties involved.

This resolution aims to address doctors' issues while avoiding disruptions in the provision of state medical services.

Recall that two doctors' unions announced the first 48-hour strike in 20 years last week. Previously, doctors at state hospitals in the Republic of Cyprus planned a 24-hour strike on June 20. The statement indicated that if doctors were not compensated for their overtime hours, protests would escalate on July 2 and 3.