President says specialised cancer hospital to be built in Paphos with Russian help

[memory man]

President Nicos Anastasiades said on Tuesday plans were discussed in Moscow to build a hospital in Paphos, in cooperation with Russia, where a pioneering method to treat cancer with new technology woud be offered.

Speaking at a press conference at Russian news agency Tass, attended by Russian journalists, Anastasiades said “the aim is to build a hospital with the Russian government and other partners in Paphos.”

He said the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) and he personally had shown a great interest in speeding up procedures for a licence and to overcome red tape.

Replying to questions, Anastasiades referred to the advantages of Cyprus as an investment centre, and the seven bilateral agreements between Cyprus and Russia, to be signed later on Tuesday.

He also referred to the Cyprus problem, noting that relations between Russia and Turkey were not an obstacle, but an opportunity for the right messages to be sent to Ankara.

Anastasiades said the aim of his visit was the review bilateral relations and brief the Russian Federation on developments in the Cyprus problem. He said the visit also provided an opportunity to discuss regional and international developments, and the role Cyprus could play.

Speaking in numbers, Anastasiades said this year 840,000 Russian tourists visited Cyprus, and that the Russian community living and working in Cyprus exceeded 35,000.

Asked about the main advantages of investing in Cyprus, Anastasiades said a series of incentives are in place to attract investments, as well as a sound economic, banking, and legal environment for companies choosing Cyprus as their base.

The president noted that this was “not just propaganda on my side, but findings by international rating agencies, which have upgraded the Cypriot economy to a pre-investment ranking.”

Cyprus, he added, offers the opportunity to investors to expand to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

On the Cyprus issue, asked if the good relationship between Russia and Turkey troubled him or the people of Cyprus, Anastasiades said that during his meeting on Monday with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and later on Tuesday with President Vladimir Putin, he was conveying Cyprus’ gratitude for the long-standing position of principle Russia maintains on the Cyprus problem.

He added that the relationship between Russia and Turkey “not only is not an obstacle, on the contrary it could be an opportunity for a country that can exert its influence on Turkey and understands the problem, to contribute in a positive manner in the right direction, that is to convey messages to Ankara.”

Anastasiades pointed out that the fact Turkey occupied part of Cyprus did not mean Russia and Turkey could not have a good relationship. He noted that the fact Cyprus maintained good relations with Russia did not mean that Cyprus should not have good relations with the US, and that the same applied in the case of Israel with Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, etc. The president said it was more important to maintain mutual respect and provide assistance when necessary.

“We are a member of the EU and due to these good relations, we are trying to see how we can be positive within the EU regarding EU-Russia relations. That is how international relations are built and that is how we can have more important and better results,” the president said.

http://cyprus-mail.com/2017/10/24/presi ... sian-help/

[Kili01]

I think the best thing that I read about the President's visit to Moscow is they talked about building a new Cancer treatment centre in Paphos. In the early years of the 21st C, there was a plan to build a new dedicated state of the art Cancer Treatment Hospital in Paphos .it was to be as part of Leptos Neapolis City project. Then the financial crunch came and the plan was shelved. If Russia decides to fund the building for the new hospital, I hope that the planning stage and all the permissions required will be dealt with quickly by Officialdom.
A new cancer hospital would be a blessing for all the cancer patients living around Paphos who at present must get up in the middle of the night to get to the bus stop in time to catch the Cancer Patients bus to take them to the Oncology Centre in Nicosia.

Dee

[trevnhil]

You are right about the long trip to Nicosia. It can be 10 hrs away from home for Paphos area patients for a 15 minute treatment..

I believe that a new Oncology centre has just opened in Limassol which will help the situation..

[emgee]

My wife has her treatment at the Evangelismos hospital in Pafos.

Alan

[WHL]

Any addition to the Health care of Cyprus,should be applauded

[trevnhil]

My wife has her treatment at the Evangelismos hospital in Pafos.

Alan

Would I be right in assuming this is Not paid for by the health service..

And I doubt that she could have Radiotherapy there, either private or NHS.

[Poppy]

It sounds as though the German one may be private and no mention of the proposed Russian funded one.I believe that the Oncology care in Cyprus is as good if not better than anywhere in Europe but surely any future projects need to be available to all as I believe that the cost of cancer care(Ops,scans,chemo and radiotherapy etc) is very expensive indeed and would be prohibitive to most.

[trevnhil]

I understand that although the new German Oncology centre in Limassol is private, it MAY be possible for NHS patients to use it .

The one in Nicosia is certainly available to NHS patients..

[trevnhil]

But it still does not seem to say whether NHS patients are catered for

[Poppy]

I could be wrong Trev but it sounds to me that the Hospital is hoping that the Government will pay them to provide cancer care to patients thus negating the need for them to fund the building of a new unit themselves. It makes sense if the Government are willing or indeed able to fund it.

[trevnhil]

I assume that the Bank of Cyprus financed the oncology centre in Nicosia. I imagine that the NHS reimburse the hospital for the NHS patients that use it..

[PW in Polemi]

I assume that the Bank of Cyprus financed the oncology centre in Nicosia. I imagine that the NHS reimburse the hospital for the NHS patients that use it..

I understand that the Government allocates an annual budget to the BoCOC in Strovolos, Nicosia with the BOC (and anybody else who wants to) adding additional funds with their various fund-raising efforts. Making ends meet is a challenge with ever-rising medical costs and ever increasing numbers of patients.

[trevnhil]

The New centre in Limassol will be good IF the health service will pay for the treatment of NHS patients.

But of course a centre in the Paphos area would be good for this end of the island.

Certain treatments are available in the Paphos private hospitals. You have to pay there of course but the Medications are provided Free (almost) by the NHS..

[trevnhil]

The last I heard about the New Limassol Oncology centre was that there was no decision as to whether it would, or would not accept NHS patients..