Vivant Medical Investments PLC (VMI) has announced the creation of Cyprus's first fully accredited university hospital. This cutting-edge facility will feature the latest in medical infrastructure and technology, operating within the General Health System (GHS) framework.

The company plans to transform the well-known IMC commercial building at the entrance of Nicosia into a state-of-the-art private hospital, expected to significantly upgrade medical services in Cyprus.

Named AHEPA University Hospital Cyprus, this premier university hospital is slated to begin operations in the first half of 2025.

During a press conference held on Monday at the site, the specific plans for this hospital development were detailed. The goal is to establish a medical center providing continuous care through advanced clinical facilities and innovative medical services, led by a team of internationally recognized healthcare providers and medical scientists.

The hospital will provide comprehensive medical services, both inpatient and outpatient. Specifically, it will feature 100 outpatient clinics and examination rooms covering all medical specialties, approximately 200 inpatient beds, an intensive care unit, a fully equipped and staffed Accident and Emergency Department, specialized and equipped physiotherapy and rehabilitation departments with 20 rehabilitation beds, 10 fully equipped operating rooms, and 2 catheterization labs for cardiovascular and other diseases. Additionally, it will have a full radiology laboratory with the latest generation equipment and laboratories for hematological and biochemical analyses, along with rooms for various examinations such as gastroscopies, colonoscopies, urology labs, cardiology, and more.

The new hospital will occupy the 18,000m² IMC building, designed by renowned architect and urban planner Lord Cunliff and constructed with public building specifications by J&P. Experts globally have acclaimed it as the ideal shell in the most suitable geographic location for Cyprus's first university hospital. The total investment, including the building's conversion into a hospital with the latest technological infrastructure and state-of-the-art medical and other equipment, amounts to €80 million.

Professor Dr. Ioannis Patrikios, a board member and Deputy Dean of the Medical School at the European University of Cyprus, elaborated on the new hospital's description and advantages.

Speaking at the conference, Dr. Patrikios stated that the hospital would be equipped with the highest standard medical and diagnostic equipment and implement the most advanced and stringent operational protocols. He added that accreditation would enable Cyprus to enter the medical tourism market.

According to the Professor, among the many advantages of the strategic cooperation agreement with AHEPA is access to AHEPA's global health professional network, including top academics, doctors, and researchers. He noted that the multi-level collaboration with AHEPA University Hospital Thessaloniki, combined with modern facilities and cutting-edge technology, staffed by distinguished professors and international medical and scientific personnel, will provide the necessary infrastructure and conditions for university medical schools to offer practical training to their students in an environment comparable to major European university hospitals.

He added, "Within this framework, a significant prospect for a relevant agreement with the Medical School of the European University of Cyprus for practical training of its students from the schools of medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, and medical technical specialties is also underway."

Ms. Francine Westergaard, Principal Accreditation Consultant at The Joint Commission International, the largest accreditation organization undertaking the project consulting from initial design to operation and certification, explained the importance and advantages of an accredited hospital and the prospects it creates for the wider Cypriot health sector with the certification of other hospitals.

Following, Dr. Alfred Barich, a board member of AHEPA University Hospital Thessaloniki, discussed the advantages, synergies, and prospects of a multi-level collaboration between the AHEPA hospitals in Cyprus and Thessaloniki.

In his address, Savvas Tsivikos, the Supreme President of the global council of AHEPA, who played a pivotal role in forging the strategic cooperation agreement between AHEPA and VMI, as well as in the collaboration between the two AHEPA hospitals, confirmed the global brotherhood's support for the creation of AHEPA University Hospital Cyprus and then elaborated on the broader vision for the brotherhood's actions during his presidency.

In his greeting, entrepreneur and VMI shareholder Andreas Kaisis mentioned that the new hospital represents the fulfillment of a lifetime vision and announced the VMI board's decision to appoint Savvas Tsivikos as the honorary President.

Referring to the new hospital's capabilities, Christakis Partasides, President of Vivant Medical Investments PLC, stated that one of the innovations of the new university would be its digital infrastructure, making it a "digitally smart hospital." This will include databases and equipment to support research programs and epidemiological studies.

According to Mr. Partasides, "the entire project will have all the features of a regional reference hospital, which will significantly enhance the broader economy of the area," noting that "beyond its ultra-modern infrastructure and equipment, it will have multiple characteristics that fundamentally upgrade the health sector in Cyprus."