Labour MP Franco Mercieca has said that the claim that the government reduced the capital expenditure for healthcare is a lie.

Addressing the media, he said that the government increased its expenditure by 50% in the health sector alone. This is reflected in shorter waiting lists and reductions in medicines which are out of stock.

Mr Mercieca said that the number of MRIs increased drastically from 7,000 a year to more than 20,000. "I ask the Nationalist Party, do you intend to reduce the expenditure in the health sector?"

Minister for Health Chris fearne said that there were challenges in the health sector in the past, but the PN did not have solutions for these problems. For Labour, health is a priority and we intend to increase our spending, Mr Fearne added.

He said the government spends 11 million euros on the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme while the PN spent only 5 million euros. 

"Simon Busuttil will take us back to situations when we had out of stock medicines and increase the waiting lists," he added.

Mr Fearne said he could not understand how the PN can criticize such investment in this important sector.

On comments made by former PN minister Tonio Borg regarding health care - that the situation in the health sector is not sustainable - the minister said that a PL government will keep the health care free of charge.

PN reacts

"A new PN government will guarantee that healthcare in Malta remains free of charge," the PN said in a reacting statement.

Spokesperson for health, Claudette Buttigieg, said that this government has sold the Gozo General Hospital, Karen Grech and St Lukes behind the public's back.

"These hospitals were sold to individuals implicated in fraud in Canada."