The Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) notes with great concern and discomfort that the continued inaction of the State to take immediate and substantial decisions to address the serious shortage of nursing staff, exacerbates the crisis in the health sector, with serious costs for patients, the viability of hospitals and the state of public health in the country.
In recent years, OEB has made repeated representations and representations to solve the problem. He has participated in countless meetings and meetings, has sent letters and memoranda, submitting specific, simple and immediately applicable suggestions for the rapid alleviation or even resolution of the problem. However, none of these recommendations has been adopted, with the result that valuable time is constantly lost and the problem is dangerously worse.
Indicatively, it is mentioned that on December 22, 2025, OEB participated in a meeting convened by the new Minister of Health, due to the risk of suspension of the operation of a private hospital. During this meeting, the Minister pledged that he would study the recommendations and convene a new meeting within a month.
Instead of direct decision-making, the Ministry proceeded to assign a report to a professor from Greece, on the planning of human resources needs (capacity planning) in four groups of health professionals, including the nursing profession. This development, in conditions of acute shortage and imminent danger to the operation of hospitals, indicates a complete lack of understanding of the seriousness and urgency of the situation.
Based on the above, the Board of Directors of OEB, at its meeting held on February 11, 2026, with the participation of the Central Committee of the Pancyprian Association of Private Hospitals (PASIN), gave the President and the other leadership of OEB authorization to take all necessary measures, including the suspension of the operation of hospitals, depending on developments.
The health sector cannot afford any more reports, more meetings and more delays. Decisions are needed immediately that will provide real solutions. If decisions are not taken immediately, the responsibility for the consequences will lie solely with those who choose stagnation instead of a solution.
