People with mental health conditions are facing resistance from some local communities even as Cyprus seeks to expand community-based care and reduce pressure on the Athalassa Psychiatric Hospital, the Patient Ombudsman has warned.
Speaking before the House Health Committee, Marios Charalambides raised concerns about opposition to community facilities designed to accommodate and support individuals with mental health challenges, arguing that such reactions undermine efforts at social inclusion and recovery.
Questions over responsibility
Charalambides said there is broad agreement on the need for more community-based structures, yet objections continue to emerge when facilities are established in specific areas.
He referred to an existing facility where, according to information presented to the committee, there are efforts to remove residents because of local opposition.
"Are we going to keep moving these people from one community to another?" he asked, questioning who ultimately bears responsibility for ensuring that a facility can continue operating once it has been established.
Issue of dignity
The ombudsman argued that the debate is fundamentally about the dignity of people living with mental health conditions.
"It is easy to talk about the dignity of these people, but how does a person feel when they receive the message that they are unwanted?" he said.
He noted that opposition sometimes comes even from communities accommodating their own residents, raising concerns about stigma and social exclusion.
Community care key to reform
The issue has gained prominence amid discussions about reducing long-term admissions at Athalassa and increasing the use of community services for people who no longer require hospitalisation.
During the committee meeting, participants stressed that healthcare and social care cannot operate separately if mental health services are to function effectively.
Representatives of the State Health Services Organisation (OKYPY) acknowledged the existence of "grey areas" in responsibilities shared with the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, adding that discussions are under way to clarify the management of such cases.
Officials also highlighted the need for stronger links between the psychiatric hospital and community services so that patients continue receiving support after discharge.
Medical association blames the state
The Cyprus Medical Association (PIS) used the discussion to criticise what it described as longstanding state failures in mental health policy.
Vice-president Athos Georgiou argued that doctors and healthcare professionals are often left carrying medical, legal and public responsibility for problems that stem from structural, administrative and legislative shortcomings.
He said mental health receives around 3% of healthcare funding in Cyprus, compared with a reported European average of 6%, and questioned how much of the country's National Mental Health Strategy has actually been implemented.
Concerns over leadership and infrastructure
Georgiou also referred to a delay of around six months in replacing the head of Mental Health Services, asking who is effectively directing the sector.
He cited examples of patients remaining in hospital for extended periods while responsibility continues to rest with treating doctors, as well as concerns over inadequate infrastructure.
According to Georgiou, doctors were required to continue working in a building after a structural study identified risks related to its condition, with months passing before staff were relocated.
"At the end of the day, we are talking about people," he said.
