Event highlights
WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, and WHO Representative in Cyprus, Dr Irshad Shaikh, visited 2 rural health centres in Pedoulas and Pachna, accompanied by the Minister of Health of Cyprus, Mr Neophytos Charalambides. The visit showcased Cyprus’s continued investment in strong, people‑centred primary health care (PHC), in line with the spirit of the Alma-Ata PHC declaration, as the foundation of universal health coverage under the national health system (GESY).
“Rural health centres may be small, but the heart inside them is enormous,” said Dr Kluge following the visit. “They show primary health care at its best – walk‑in services, routine check-ups and preventive care that catch problems early and support healthy ageing, especially for people who can’t easily reach a hospital.”
Strengthening accessible, community-based care
In Pedoulas, a remote community in the Troodos mountain region, the health centre serves as a lifeline for rural populations. Open on weekdays with walk‑in services, it provides essential frontline care. such as blood tests, wound care, injections, vaccinations and electrocardiograms. The centre also hosts an on‑site ambulance station, improving emergency response capacity for mountain villages where timely access to hospitals can be challenging.
Local health staff highlighted how the integration of rural health centres into the GESY system ensures equitable access to care regardless of geography – an important step in leaving no one behind, in line with WHO/Europe’s Second European Programme of Work (EPW2) (2026–2030).
The delegation also visited the Pachna Health Centre in Limassol District, which supports residents who would otherwise face long travel times to major hospitals. Staffed by 2 general practitioners and nursing personnel, the centre offers daily walk‑in services and routine preventive care that help detect health issues early and reduce unmet health needs.
State Health Services Director of Primary Care, Mr Constantinos Hadjiyiannis, shows WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, and WHO Special Representative and Head of Country Office, Cyprus, Dr Irshad Shaikh, around the Pedoulas Health Centre, accompanied by the Minister of Health, Mr Neophytos Charalambides.
Rapid, coordinated responses
The centre played a critical role during the destructive wildfires of July 2025, local health officials explained. Despite widespread power outages, Pachna Health Centre operated 24 hours a day, maintaining uninterrupted services with generator support, expanding bed capacity and deploying additional doctors and nurses to treat people with respiratory complications and other fire‑related health needs. This experience underscores how strong PHC systems serve as the first line of defence in emergencies, enabling rapid, coordinated responses that protect both communities and economies.
The strong ability of health services to be delivered by critical infrastructure, such as health facilities, without interruption in emergency situations can be a matter of life and death. Having strong and resilient health systems is the objective of the WHO Safe Hospitals Initiative, which aims to ensure health facilities remain functional during emergencies, protecting patients, staff and equipment. It is also one of the targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, which Cyprus, as a United Nations Member State, has endorsed.
During his visit to the Pedoulas Health Centre, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge speaks with a patient recovering from recent surgery, accompanied by the patient’s wife, a former nurse who settled in Cyprus many years ago.
PHC at the heart of resilient health systems
Throughout the visit, the Minister of Health underscored Cyprus’s commitment to further strengthening PHC within GESY, improving access for rural and underserved populations and reinforcing emergency preparedness and response across the country’s health system.
Dr Kluge commended Cyprus for its progress with its universal GESY system, which demonstrates how strong PHC and strategic networked service delivery enhance equity and resilience across the health system. “The dedication of health workers in Pedoulas and Pachna reflects the best of health care – care delivered close to home, with compassion and commitment.”
The WHO Country Office in Cyprus, led by Dr Shaikh and with support from the 3 levels of WHO, will continue to support Cyprus in advancing universal health coverage through people‑centred PHC, expanding equitable access to health services and strengthening emergency preparedness, readiness and response for public health emergencies in line with Cyprus’s commitments to global and regional obligations (e.g. International Health Regulations 2005, European Union Decision 1082/2013/EU on serious cross border threats to health, and EPW-2 priorities).