Board of Directors Term of Office: 2009–2011 Upon assuming its duties, the Board of Directors had to address the following issues:   Pharmaceutical Products. Not all medications required by patients were available through state pharmacies (Asacol, Salofalk). Understaffing of public hospitals with specialist gastroenterologists. In many cases, gastroenterologists were grouped under internal medicine departments and had to examine patients with general health conditions, leaving insufficient time to assist people with gastroenterological disorders. Surgical Procedures. These highly specialized operations were being performed in Cyprus by general surgeons. When the disease affected children, there was no specialist paediatric gastroenterologist either at Makarios Hospital or in the private sector.       The Board made numerous and persistent efforts through letters and meetings with the Minister of Health and other senior Ministry officials to address the above issues. Following our interventions, combined with the positive approach shown by both the Minister and Ministry officials, the following arrangements were made:   Pharmaceutical Products. If a patient requires a specific medication that is not provided through the State Pharmaceutical Services, the treating physician must scientifically justify the need for that medication. If approved by the state, the necessary arrangements will be made through the Pharmaceutical......