Pregnant woman air-lifted to Israel

By Johanna Pauls

A woman who is 35 weeks pregnant was transferred to Israel on Wednesday to ensure the safe delivery of her baby, the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) said on Thursday.

HIO director Monika Kyriakou said the newborn will require surgery immediately after birth. Due to the urgency of the case, the expectant mother was airlifted to Israel, where the procedure will be carried out.

Kyriakou described the transfer as standard practice, noting that many time-critical and complex cases are referred to Israel for immediate treatment.

The air distance between Cyprus and Tel Aviv is approximately 360 kilometres, making it one of the quickest options for specialised medical care outside the Republic. By comparison, Athens is about 890 kilometres away and Istanbul around 800 kilometres.

Beirut is geographically closer, at roughly 260 kilometres, but is not typically used for such medical transfers.