European University Cyprus and Ministry of Health Collaborate on COVID-19 Initiative
The School of Medicine of European University Cyprus (EUC) and the innovation center CERIDES – Excellence in Innovation and Technology, in collaboration with the Health Services of the Ministry of Health in Cyprus and the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Actions, launched a national volunteer initiative in November 2020 to actively support all nursing homes and long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus. This program is part of a significant collaborative effort to improve the safety and quality of nursing homes in the Republic of Cyprus, as well as simultaneously reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks within their premises.
EUC Medical Students participate as volunteers with anonymous observerships for risk assessment, using standardised checklists that were developed to track the compliance rates to the best practices and the protective measures for the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Ministry of Health’s protocols for nursing homes.
In addition, EUC Medical Students also participate in weekly, real-time on-site educational efforts on best practices, coordinated by the Health Services of the Cypriot Ministry of Health. In this context EUC provides remote educational courses and supports continuous communication to the Heads of the Nursing Homes using the EUC’s state-of-the-art online educational platform. The aim is to provide Nursing Home Heads and Personnel with updated information, including on current issues related to COVID-19, such as vaccination.
The risk assessment and educational program supported by EUC constitutes a critical part of the simultaneously ongoing National projects coordinated by the Ministry of Health, such as weekly screening with rapid antigen tests of all employees and elderly in nursing homes, and the intensification of audit programs.
The recent progress report revealed a notable reduction of clusters and decreasing trends in the prevalence of COVID-19 in nursing homes in Cyprus, as well as decreasing trends in the reported COVID-19 deaths associated with long-term care facilities. These results demonstrate that this bundle of measures achieved through the collaborative effort between the EUC, Ministry of Health and Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Actions has had a significant positive impact in nursing homes.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, EUC has demonstrated steadfast support to national and global efforts to combat the negative effects of the pandemic. The continuous contribution and dedication of EUC Medical Students and staff to this innovative set of initiatives, which continued unhindered during the Christmas holidays, underscores the EUC’s commitment to Community Service, as well as an unwavering commitment to serve the nation under the motto “We will fight together!”