The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses was quoted by the Malta Labour Party as saying that the MLP plan for health was positive and offered a solid basis for discussion.

Speaking during a visit by an MUMN delegation yesterday, Labour leader Dr Alfred Sant said that the plan focuses principally on the improvement of the current health service. He said that the sector is facing considerable challenges, especially the new Tal Qroqq Hospital and the health situation in Gozo.

Dr Sant said that Labour remained committed to the policy that health services remain free of charge and this requires a total reorganisation of how services are provided and how treatment is administered.

MUMN president Rudolph Cini was quoted as saying that the professions of nursing and midwifery were not being given the importance they deserved. He said that discussions between the Institute of Health Care and other foreign agencies could eventually lead to members of the profession leaving the island.

Mr Cini said it was heartening to note that Labour was emphasising the importance of community care, because without this, the new hospital cannot function properly. He also said that it was important for a nurse-patient ratio to be established.