Copyright philenews
Patient advocacy groups have strongly criticised ministries for inadequate support to families facing serious illness during a parliamentary Labour Committee meeting on Tuesday. The committee was discussing financial assistance for families with ill children who either travel abroad for treatment or remain in Cyprus, forcing parents to leave employment to provide necessary care. “We’re sending people abroad for operations or treatments, or leaving families without income because a member has become seriously ill,” patient association representatives told MPs. This marked the second discussion on the issue, which has prompted the AKEL party to submit specific proposals to relevant ministries based on practices followed in other EU member states. Patient representatives said the Health Ministry’s current patient companion support scheme is ineffective. “Imagine when your child needs to go abroad for life-saving treatment; you must collect three quotes from travel agencies to send to the ministry so they can select the cheapest, regardless of whether that means transiting through two or three countries to reach your destination,” a patient advocate explained. They added: “There are cases where expenses are reimbursed retrospectively. What good is financial support 18 months later, after I’ve sold my house, taken a loan, or sought help from extended family, relatives, friends or an association because I didn’t have money when I needed it?” Representatives highlighted that when a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, one parent must quit their job after exhausting all available leave, resulting in the family losing half its income while expenses increase dramatically. “Even when one parent becomes ill, the other abandons their job without pay, resigns if extended time abroad is needed, or closes their business if self-employed, leaving the family without income. Children stay with grandparents if available. Families break apart,” they said. Ministry officials responded to the concerns but failed to convince either committee members or patient representatives. A Health Ministry spokesperson revealed a new support scheme for patient companions has been developed with the Finance Ministry, which Health Minister Michalis Damianos will announce within two weeks. The new scheme aims to simplify procedures and ease bureaucratic burdens. The Labour Ministry referenced various existing benefits and parental leave options available to parents of children with serious conditions, including unemployment-equivalent benefits for six months. The Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare provides monthly assistance of €848 to children with serious health problems, whether abroad or in Cyprus, for as long as needed. AKEL’s proposals include special paid leave for parents, protection from dismissal, and ensuring time away from work does not affect pension calculations at retirement. AKEL MP Marina Nikolaou emphasised these are not innovative solutions but practices already implemented in other European countries. Nikolaou noted the Parliament had prepared a study documenting all best practices in this area, adding that no decisions had been made to change the situation since the committee’s previous meeting on this issue in June.
