Diabetes Care in Cyprus on GESY: Your Doctor, Endocrinologist and Tests

Living with diabetes in Cyprus? On GESY, the General Healthcare System, almost everything starts with your personal doctor: they prescribe your medicines, order your regular blood tests and refer you to an endocrinologist, an eye specialist, a dietitian or a podiatrist. Children are looked after by a personal doctor for children (usually a paediatrician) and referred on to the children's endocrinology clinics in Nicosia.

Below we explain how the system fits together, what it costs, where the public diabetes clinics are and what to do when you first arrive. This is general health information, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own treatment and targets. Rules were checked in October 2026 and can change. For insulin, test strips, sensors and pumps, see our separate guide to diabetes supplies on GESY.

How is diabetes care organised on GESY?

GESY is run by the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO). Diabetes is common in Cyprus: in 2023 HIO data showed 12.7% of the population, nearly 115,000 GESY beneficiaries, with some form of diabetes. Care is shared between several people:

Some newer medicines can only be prescribed by certain specialists. For example, under protocols that took effect on 15 October 2026, Ozempic and Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes can be prescribed only by endocrinologists, internal medicine specialists, geriatricians and designated adult personal doctors, with prior approval through the GESY system.

Patients' groups point out real gaps: in 2025 the Cyprus Diabetic Association said Cyprus has fewer than 30 endocrinologists, not all of them in GESY, that "diabetologist" is not an officially recognised specialty, and that most public hospitals still lack organised diabetes clinics. Expect waiting lists for some specialists and plan appointments well ahead.

How do you get a referral to an endocrinologist?

1. See your personal doctor. Explain your diagnosis and treatment, and bring any letters or results from your previous country.
2. Ask for a referral to Endocrinology. The referral names the specialty, not a specific doctor, so you choose who to see.
3. Ask whether a long-term referral is suitable. The HIO describes three types of referral from a personal doctor:

4. Find a contracted endocrinologist (see the next section) and phone the practice to book. You can change to another endocrinologist later; the number of visits left on the referral stays the same.
5. Pay the co-payment. A referred visit costs €6. If you go directly without a referral, you pay a €25 contribution instead. Visits on weekday evenings after 20:00, at weekends or on public holidays can carry an extra charge of up to €25 set by the doctor.

Chronic patients are also exempt from the yearly limit on personal doctor visits, after which other patients can be charged up to €15 a visit.

How do you find a GESY endocrinologist?

1. Open the provider search on gesy.org.cy.
2. Choose outpatient specialists and the specialty Endocrinology (for children, the clinics are at Makarios Hospital; see below).
3. Filter by district and note two or three names.
4. Phone each practice to ask about waiting times, whether they take new patients and whether the doctor consults in English. The directory does not show languages.

If you cannot find what you need, call the GESY helpline on 17000 (+357 22 017000 from abroad).

Which tests will you have, and what do they cost?

Your doctor decides which tests you need and how often, depending on your type of diabetes and your health. Commonly checked are:

• HbA1cThe average blood sugar over the past two to three months, often checked every few months
• Kidney function (blood creatinine and a urine albumin test)
• Cholesterol and blood fats
• Blood pressure and weightAt your appointments
• Eyes and feetUsually at least once a year (see below)

Tests are ordered by your personal doctor or specialist through the GESY system and done at a GESY-contracted laboratory. Each lab test or group of tests costs €1, with a maximum of €10 per category of lab tests.

What is the annual co-payment cap?

All GESY co-payments (lab tests, prescriptions, referred specialist visits and so on) together are capped at €150 a year. The cap is €75 for children up to 21, low-income pensioners and Guaranteed Minimum Income recipients. Check the current amounts on gesy.org.cy, as they can change.

Where are the public hospital diabetes clinics?

The public hospitals are run by the State Health Services Organisation (OKYPY) and work within GESY. You need a referral from your personal doctor, and you can request an appointment online through each clinic's page on shso.org.cy; the hospital then contacts you.

We could not find a dedicated diabetes centre listed for the Limassol, Paphos or Famagusta general hospitals. In those districts, adults are usually seen by GESY endocrinologists or internal medicine specialists in the community, or referred to Nicosia or Larnaca.

What about children with diabetes?

Children up to 15 are registered with a personal doctor for children, normally a paediatrician; between 15 and 18 they can choose a children's or an adults' doctor. The paediatrician refers your child to the paediatric endocrinology clinic at Makarios Hospital, the island's mother and child hospital. Patients' groups say these clinics exist only in Nicosia, so families in Larnaca, Famagusta and Paphos have to travel.

For a child who will start school or nursery, ask the clinic for a written care plan to share with the school. The role of school assistants for children with diabetes is not yet fully set out in law, so discuss arrangements with the head teacher early.

Can you see a dietitian on GESY?

Yes. Clinical dietitians joined GESY in December 2021, and diabetes is one of the conditions covered. Here is how it works:

1. Ask your personal doctor or specialist for a referral to a clinical dietitian.
2. Choose a GESY dietitian in the provider search and book.
3. The HIO announced four dietitian visits a year (counted from 1 January). If you and your doctor think you need more, the dietitian can ask the HIO to review it.

Without a referral, or once you have used your visits, you pay the full fee. The HIO lists a €10 co-payment for allied health professional visits. Weight loss for cosmetic reasons is not covered. For food tips, see our guide to healthy eating and dietitians in Cyprus.

How do eye and foot checks work?

Eyes. Ophthalmology is one of the GESY specialties. Ask your personal doctor for a referral to an ophthalmologist for a diabetic eye examination; your doctor will tell you how often you need one. We could not find a national diabetic eye screening programme in Cyprus, so make sure the check is booked rather than waiting for an invitation.

Feet. Diabetes-related amputations in Cyprus have been reported at around four times the European average, so foot care matters. Podiatrists have been part of GESY since 1 November 2023: with a referral from your personal doctor or a specialist, you can see one up to five times a year. The diabetes centres in Nicosia and Larnaca also run diabetic foot screening and clinics. Check your feet daily and see your doctor promptly about any cut, blister or colour change that does not heal.

Can you use private care instead?

Yes. You can see any private endocrinologist, diabetologist, dietitian or podiatrist and pay the full fee yourself or through private insurance. Bear in mind:

• Only GESY-contracted doctors can give you GESY referrals, prescriptions and tests at GESY rates.
• Many doctors work both inside and outside GESY. Ask whether your appointment is under GESY before you book.
• If you are not in GESY (for example, if you hold private insurance for your residence permit), check what your policy pays for chronic conditions, tests and supplies, as some policies exclude pre-existing conditions. See health insurance for a residence permit and our guide to private hospitals and clinics.

What should you do when you first arrive in Cyprus?

1. Bring enough medicines and supplies to last until you are registered, plus copies of your prescriptions and a doctor's letter (our supplies guide covers travelling with insulin and devices).
2. Get your residence documents. To join GESY you must be in the Civil Registry or the Migration Department's records, and where relevant the Social Insurance registry. Our GESY guide explains who qualifies.
3. Register and choose a personal doctor, online through the Beneficiary Portal or at the doctor's practice. Our guide to finding an English-speaking GP has the steps.
4. Book a first appointment and bring a written summary from your previous doctor: diagnosis, recent HbA1c and other results, current medicines and doses, and any devices you use. Ask for English copies if possible.
5. Ask for your referrals: endocrinologist (or Makarios Hospital for a child), eye examination, dietitian and podiatrist.
6. Ask your doctor to set up repeat prescriptions, which can run for up to six months.

What to do next

1. Check your GESY registration and personal doctor in the Beneficiary Portal; see our GESY guide.
2. If you need a doctor who consults in English, use our guide to finding an English-speaking GP.
3. Read about insulin, test strips, sensors and pumps on GESY.
4. Save 112 and your district's duty pharmacy line; our out-of-hours doctors and night pharmacies guide lists them.
5. Ask your personal doctor whether you should have this winter's flu jab; our flu vaccine guide explains how to book it.