Eurostat: 313 hospital beds per 100,000 people in Cyprus; 516 in EU

The number of hospital beds in relation to the population in Cyprus remained significantly lower than the European Union average in 2022, according to data released by Eurostat. The data that show an overall reduction across the EU.

More specifically, in 2022 Cyprus registered about 313 hospital beds per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 516 per 100,000 in the EU.

Among member states, Bulgaria registered the highest ratio relative to its population size, with an average of 823 hospital beds per 100,000 people, followed by Germany with 766 beds per 100,000 people and Romania with 728 hospital beds per 100,000 people.

Sweden (190), the Netherlands (245), Denmark (248), Finland (261), Ireland (291) and Spain (294 beds) recorded the lowest numbers of hospital beds relative to their population size, all under 300 beds per 100,000 people.

In absolute numbers in 2022, the EU had 2.3 million hospital beds, with the number having decreased by 7% (171,110 fewer beds) since 2012. In Cyprus during the same period there was a 4% reduction from 2,990 hospital beds in 2012 to 2,857 in 2022 (133 fewer beds).

In relation to the EU population, on average, there were 516 hospital beds per 100,000 people in 2022, while in 2012 there were 563. In Cyprus during the same period the rate fell from 346 hospital beds per 100,000 people to 313 beds per 100,000 .

According to Eurostat, the reduction recorded on the EU level reflects the fact that data on hospital beds only covers beds for in-patient care (excluding day care and out-patient care beds), as well as the scientific and technological developments which reduced the average length of stay for in-patient procedures or replaced those procedures with ones provided by day care or out-patient care.

In absolute numbers, the highest numbers among member states in 2022 were registered in Germany (642,107), France (374,290) and Poland (231,789), while the lowest were in Malta (2,158), Luxembourg (2,609) and Cyprus (2,857).

In terms of long-term care beds in nursing and other residential long-term care facilities, in 2022, the highest rates were registered in the Netherlands (1,420 long-term care beds per 100,000 people), Sweden (1,299) and Belgium (1,283).

Bulgaria (25 long-term care beds per 100,000 people) and Greece (26) registered the lowest rates, followed by Poland (214).

Cyprus was low down the list in 2022, with 286 long-term care beds in nursing and other residential long-term care facilities per 100,000 persons.