A foreign third-country national not awarded refugee status was given an ‘exceptional circumstances’ pass by the Ministry for Health to undergo urgent cancer treatment despite not being able to afford it and deemed as ‘practically penniless’.

 This incident, which occurred sometime in 2017, was brought to light in case notes from the Commissioner for Health, which were published on Wednesday.

According to the reports, the man was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with a medical condition which needed surgery. He was operated on at Mater Dei Hospital due to the urgency of the case. The patient then needed chemotherapy, for which he was referred to Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre.

Since the patient was not entitled to free healthcare, the consultant treating the patient was not permitted by hospital authorities to see to the man till the fees “amounting to thousands of euro” had been paid. “The patient was not in a position to pay the fees due as he was practically penniless.”

The incident was put forward to the Commissioner for Health in a call for help, according to the report.

It was recommended by the health commissioner that the case be viewed in line with a clause in the Health Act which states that “the Minister may approve for the partial, or full, waiver of fees, and, or costs, due by any person, not being an insured person, in exceptional circumstances, and, or on humanitarian grounds.” Such a clause “would enable the health authorities to waive the pending fees and would also approve any needed oncology treatment” according to the report.

The health ministry accepted the commissioner’s recommendation, considering the case an exceptional one.

The report concluded that the hospital fees had been waived and the required treatment given, solicited by funds from EU sources directed to member states that are most exposed to the immigration phenomenon.