The Gozo Coronary Care Unit Monitors Foundation (CCUMF) was launched this week with the aim of replacing all the specialist monitoring equipment in the Gozo Hospital Coronary Care Unit.

The foundation is the initiative of a small group of local people, and has the support of both the Hospital and the Gozo Ministry, the foundation said.

Carmen Bellamy, founder and chairman, said: “My husband Paul was taken into the unit recently and although the care he received there was wonderful, it is clear that the equipment they have to use is struggling because it is now 14 years old.

Many people in Gozo, as well as visitors, have either been admitted to the unit, or inevitably, will be admitted, and we think it is time to help replace the monitors.

“This is a huge task because a new monitoring system costs something in the order of Lm50,000 even for a second-hand one, so there is a long way to go,” said Mrs Bellamy. “We hope not only to raise money from companies and individuals, but also to help lobby the government to make funds available for this purpose, since in the view of the medial experts this is quite urgent.”

The foundation has been established so that it can receive donations, grants, bequests, legacies and endowments. It held its first meeting this week to discuss its strategy for fund-raising, which will commence in the New Year.

For further information contact Mrs Bellamy on 21566496 or e-mail: [email protected].