Healthcare in Cyprus: GESY, doctors, hospitals, clinics and insurance
Since 2019 Cyprus runs a single health system, GESY (GHS). It is mandatory for all residents and funded by employee, employer and state contributions. You cannot opt out, even with private insurance.
GESY contributions
| Who | Rate | Source · date |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | 2.65% of income (cap €180,000) | HIO / GeSY · 10.10.2026 |
| Employer | 2.90% of the employee's income | HIO / GeSY · 10.10.2026 |
| Self-employed | 4% of income | HIO / GeSY · 10.10.2026 |
| State | 4.70% | HIO / GeSY · 10.10.2026 |
| Specialist visit (with referral) | €6 | HIO / GeSY · 10.10.2026 |
Who can use it
Permanent residents have access: employees and the self-employed, EU citizens with an S1, and registered residents. Those insured elsewhere (for example S1 from another EU state) are exempt from contributions.
FAQ
- Can I opt out of GESY?
- No, contributions are mandatory for all residents; the exception is people insured in another EU state under form S1.
- Do I need private insurance?
- On top of GESY, optionally: it gives faster access and choice of doctor but does not remove the contributions.
- Is English spoken?
- In cities and private clinics generally yes; public services operate in Greek.
- What is the ambulance number in Cyprus?
- 112 is the single emergency number; 199 reaches the same services. Calls are free.
- What does a GeSY specialist visit cost?
- EUR 6 with a personal doctor's referral and EUR 25 without one (Personal Contribution I).
- Do I need a referral to see a specialist?
- Under GeSY, yes — it is cheaper with a personal doctor's referral; direct access is possible but costs more.
- Does GeSY cover dentistry?
- Only one preventive check-up a year; treatment is paid.
- Where do I find a pharmacy at night?
- A duty pharmacy is on rota; its address and phone are posted on closed pharmacies, and at night it opens on request.
Where to get treated in Cyprus: state SHSO hospitals, private hospitals and clinics in Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos and Larnaca, and doctors' offices. Here is where care is actually delivered, how to book, what GeSY covers, and what a visit costs without insurance. The system itself, contributions and insurance are in the Healthcare section.
Three routes to a doctor
- state SHSO hospitals — Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta (and Archbishop Makarios III Hospital in Nicosia): GeSY care, round-the-clock accident & emergency (A&E) departments and free ambulances;
- private hospitals and clinics — some are in GeSY and see patients on a personal doctor's referral; outside GeSY the visit is paid;
- doctors' private offices — direct access with no referral; pricier but no queue.
Getting to a doctor under GeSY
Inside GeSY the first point of contact is your personal doctor (GP). They treat you and issue referrals to specialists; direct access to a specialist is possible but costs more. Booking runs through the GeSY portal, the app or the practice by phone. Co-payments follow the official HIO schedule below.
| GeSY service | Co-payment | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Personal doctor (GP) | EUR 0 | 11.10.2026 |
| Specialist, with referral | EUR 6 | 11.10.2026 |
| Specialist, without referral | EUR 25 (Personal Contribution I) | 11.10.2026 |
| Radiology test, with referral | EUR 10 | 11.10.2026 |
| Prescription medicine | EUR 1 per pack | 11.10.2026 |
| Laboratory test | EUR 1 (capped at EUR 10) | 11.10.2026 |
| Accident & emergency (A&E) | EUR 10 | 11.10.2026 |
| Annual co-payment cap | EUR 150 (EUR 75 for reduced groups) | 11.10.2026 |
Emergency care and the number 112
For an accident, loss of consciousness or injury dial 112 — the single number for all services (police, ambulance, fire), free from any phone, with English-speaking operators. 199 reaches the same services. An ambulance takes a patient to the nearest state hospital with a 24-hour A&E department.
- 112 — all emergency services, free, 24/7;
- 199 — alternative national number for the same services;
- ambulance — to the nearest state hospital with A&E;
- Cyprus Police — 112/199; city stations (Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos) use the same numbers.
State hospitals (SHSO)
The largest state hospitals on the island. All of them work with GeSY and run a 24-hour accident & emergency department; a specialist visit comes through your personal doctor's referral or as emergency care.
| Hospital | City | A&E | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicosia General Hospital | Nicosia | 24/7 | shso.org.cy |
| Archbishop Makarios III Hospital | Nicosia | 24/7 | shso.org.cy |
| Limassol General Hospital | Limassol | 24/7 | shso.org.cy |
| Larnaca General Hospital | Larnaca | 24/7 | shso.org.cy |
| Paphos General Hospital | Paphos | 24/7 | shso.org.cy |
| Famagusta General Hospital | Famagusta (Paralimni) | 24/7 | shso.org.cy |
Private hospitals and clinics by city
The private sector is strong in Nicosia and Limassol: hospitals with emergency departments, operating theatres and diagnostics; some are in GeSY and see patients on a personal doctor's referral. Below are cards with checked websites; where a licence cannot be verified online, there is an honest note.
- Nicosia: American Medical Center (AMC), Apollonion, Aretaeio, Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre, Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics (CING);
- Limassol: Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus, Ygia Polyclinic, German Medical Institute (GOC);
- Paphos: Iasis Private Hospital;
- clinic cards with website links are below on this page.
What a visit costs without insurance
Private clinics in Cyprus do not publish a single price list: the price depends on the clinic, the doctor and the service. Payment is normally made to the clinic directly; insurance (or GeSY) reimburses under its own rules. The current cost is quoted by the clinic when you book.
Pharmacies and prescriptions
- a GeSY prescription is electronic: your beneficiary number is enough at the counter, with ID;
- the co-payment for a prescription medicine under GeSY is EUR 1 per pack;
- ordinary pharmacies keep daytime hours; at night and on public holidays a duty pharmacy is on rota (its details are posted on the doors of closed pharmacies);
- after closing, the duty pharmacy stays reachable by phone and opens on request; a night service fee of EUR 2-5 may apply — ask for the total on the phone before you set out.
Dentistry
General dentistry is not covered by GeSY: the system covers one preventive check-up a year with a registered dentist, while fillings, extractions, dentures, orthodontics and implants are paid. Dental clinics see patients directly, usually booked by phone.
Laboratories and tests
A test ordered by a doctor under GeSY costs EUR 1 (capped at EUR 10). Large laboratories also run inside hospitals (for example at the Mediterranean Hospital in Limassol or at CING in Nicosia), where a test can be done privately without a referral. Results are issued electronically.
Insurance when you move
The right to GeSY comes with lawful residence and registration; before that, private medical insurance covers the cost. Some residence and visa applications require proof of insurance cover. What the system covers and how contributions are calculated is in the Healthcare section.
Verified specialists
We have collected companies that work with our readers: we check their documents in official registers and state the date of the check. You send the request through the form — we pass it to no more than five suitable companies, so that you are not called by everyone at once.
Private hospital in Nicosia (founded in 1999 as Cyprus's first private cardiology institute): cardiology, surgery, diagnostics and an emergency department, plus a branch in Limassol. Treats patients referred by the Ministry of Health.
One of Cyprus's largest private hospitals (founded 1991), in Nicosia: 92 beds, an intensive care unit, six operating theatres, cardiology and oncology; part of GeSY since May 2020. Accredited to the UK CHKS standard.
Private hospital in Nicosia (founded 2006 by doctor-shareholders): 70 beds, four operating theatres, most specialties and laboratories. CHKS-accredited.
Oncology centre in Nicosia (opened in 1998 as a public-private partnership with the Bank of Cyprus): radiotherapy, chemotherapy, diagnostics and a day-care unit; CHKS-accredited. There is no machine-readable clinic register.
A non-profit institute in Nicosia (founded 1990): neurology, medical genetics, specialised clinical laboratories and diagnostics; it sees patients referred from state hospitals.
Private hospital in Limassol: a 24-hour accident & emergency department and ICU, surgery and diagnostics; the first hospital in Cyprus to join the inpatient phase of GeSY.
Limassol's largest private hospital (founded 1983): 188 beds, eight operating theatres, a diagnostic department, plus emergency, paediatric, paediatric surgery and maternity units; part of GeSY since September 2023.
A university clinic in Limassol (opened in 2017 as the German Oncology Centre and grown into a full hospital): oncology and radiotherapy, cardiology, surgery and diagnostics; it works under GeSY rules.
Private hospital in Paphos (founded 2004, part of the Leptos Group): 37 beds, operating theatres, a laboratory and radiology, a 24/7 front office and on-call specialists; it offers GeSY services.
Cyprus's largest state hospital (SHSO): about 25,000 inpatients a year, a 24-hour accident & emergency department, outpatient clinics and surgery. GeSY care, no portal request needed — admission follows hospital rules.