Mounjaro on GESY: Who Qualifies and How to Get It Under the New Rules

If you or someone in your family lives with severe obesity or Type 2 diabetes, there is a change in Cyprus's national health system worth knowing about. Since 15 October 2026, GESY can pay for Mounjaro, the weekly injection whose active ingredient is tirzepatide, but only for patients who meet strict medical criteria.

What has changed

The Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), which runs GESY, has added Mounjaro to the list of medicines it reimburses for two conditions: Type 2 diabetes and adult obesity. Each case goes through an approved treatment protocol, so being prescribed the drug does not automatically mean GESY will cover it.

Interest was strong even before the change. In the period from January 2025 to 20 August 2026, some 972 different patients sent the HIO a total of 1,747 requests for the drug, and 238 of the 422 requests reviewed by then got the green light.

Are you eligible for obesity treatment?

• Your BMI is 40 or more, or
• your BMI is at least 35 but below 40, and you have also been diagnosed with heart and blood-vessel disease caused by narrowed arteries (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease), or with sleep apnoea that is classed as moderate or severe.

You must be an adult, and GESY can keep paying for a maximum of two years, provided you still meet the conditions.

How it works in practice

• A specialist prescribes it. Not every doctor can prescribe it. According to the HIO, the request can come from endocrinologists (hormone and diabetes specialists), specialists in internal medicine (called pathologists in Greek) and geriatricians, as well as adult personal doctors registered in general medicine, internal medicine or geriatrics.
• Your doctor asks for approval first. Before anything is dispensed, your doctor files an online request in the GESY system, and the HIO decides.
• You collect it from a hospital pharmacy. At first you can pick it up only at a state hospital pharmacy; your neighbourhood pharmacy will not supply it under GESY for now.
• Already approved? Patients who were approved earlier through the HIO's case-by-case committee move over to the new protocol, and anyone whose request was still waiting with that committee keeps their place, with no need to apply again.

And Ozempic?

The rules for Ozempic (semaglutide) were refreshed on 15 October too. People with Type 2 diabetes will normally be offered Ozempic first, whether or not they are overweight, and their doctor still has to get approval. The difference is that your regular pharmacy can hand it over once you have the prescription.

Before you start

These medicines can help, but they are not a quick fix. Doctors quoted in the Cyprus Mail point out a few things to keep in mind:

• An upset stomach is common: feeling sick, being sick, diarrhoea or constipation. If it is bad or does not settle, see your doctor, because you can become dehydrated.
• Results vary a lot from person to person, and appetite and weight can come back after the injections stop.
• A healthy diet, regular exercise and medical follow-up remain part of the treatment, not optional extras.

What this means for you

• Start with your personal doctor. If you think you may qualify, book an appointment with your GESY personal doctor. Adult personal doctors are among those who can request the medicine, or they can refer you to a specialist. Take any test results and your diabetes or heart records with you.
• Know your numbers. BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in metres. Your doctor will check it, but working out a rough figure at home shows you where you stand.
• Plan for the hospital pharmacy. Check which state hospital pharmacy will supply your medicine and its opening hours, especially if you work long shifts.
• Already on Ozempic or Mounjaro privately? Don't stop or switch on your own. Talk to your doctor about whether you fit the new rules.
• Not registered with GESY yet? Our GESY guide for Indians in Cyprus explains who can join and how to choose a personal doctor.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Always follow the guidance of your own doctor.

Read also: GESY Explained: How Indians in Cyprus Can Use the National Health System

Sources: Cyprus Mail (15 October), Cyprus Mail (19 October), Sigmalive, Kiprinform, Tothemaonline (HIO announcement, in Greek), Famagusta Gazette, Alphanews (in Greek), Dialogos (HIO announcement, in Greek), Politis (in Greek)