Think twice before using Gesy, new campaign says
Gesy is kicking off its new awareness campaign on Thursday with TV spots aimed at making patients think twice before using the national health scheme if it is not absolutely necessary.
The campaign focuses on not placing people with serious health problems at risk of not getting the treatment they need.
The new campaign was presented at a press conference in Nicosia, during which Gesy chairman Stavros Michail explained just how far the health scheme has come in its five years of existence, promoting the values of social solidarity, equity and equality.
To keep Gesy going and to upgrade the quality of the services it provides, it is necessary to address the problems threatening its viability – the unnecessary use of the system.
Michail said the abuse of the system caused concern, however he could not give numbers or specific cases.
As part of its new two-year campaign ‘You too can contribute to the health of Gesy’, three TV spots have been prepared, which will air for the first time on Thursday evening.
The first phase will also utilise radio and electronic and other media.
The campaign was the result of a study to determine how to use media to make the broader public identify with the object of the campaign.
The aim was to convey the concept of responsibility, proper use of the provided services and understanding what Gesy can offer to all eligible people.
Through repetition, images that the public can identify with and the use of language, the organisers aspire to convince receptors to use the system in a responsible manner.
The TV spots, according to the organisers, present the Gesy user in the background and a silhouette in the foreground, symbolising the viewer.
“This functions as a subconscious reminder that every time we use a Gesy service without really needing it, we are denying it from another person who does need it,” Michail said.
The first part of the campaign, titled ‘Come into my place, don’t take my place’, aspires to create a culture of responsible use of the services offered by Gesy, aimed at both practitioners and patients.
To drive the message home, a symbolic gesture was used during the press conference: attendees found cards on their chairs with names that weren’t theirs, illustrating how using a service unnecessarily means taking someone else’s spot.
Future phases of the campaign will focus on the role of personal doctors and the importance of trust between patients and general practitioners. Additionally, a guidebook for patients will be released in October, providing further information on Gesy’s services and responsible use.