The appointment of the first Patient Ombudsman is expected to be completed within September, Health Minister Michalis Damianos has told CNA, assuring that this institution will operate shortly. 

At the same time, he pointed out that the supervision of the General Health System (GeSY) continues as normal by the Ministry of Health, with the support of the same personnel who staffed the Office of the former GeSY Supervisory Commissioner.

According to the competent Minister, the appointment of the Patient Ombudsman is now at an advanced stage and will be announced within the next two weeks. As he explained, it took a little more time for the final selection of the person who will be appointed as the first Ombudsman, since, as he noted, this is an “emblematic institution.”

Invited to state the reasons why the Patient Ombudsman has not been appointed yet, Damianos said that it is up to the President of the Republic to proceed with the appointment of the appropriate person, and that there have been no problems or delays by the Ministry.

“It is up to the President of the Republic to proceed with the the appointment of the competent person. The institution of the Ombudsman is emblematic and this will be the first Ombudsman, so it still taking some time. The position will be filled within September,” he noted.