More than 80,000 people attended the Mater Dei open weekend, the authorities said in a statement yesterday.

The open weekend offered a unique experience for the general public to see the new hospital first-hand. The Foundation for Medical Services thanked the public for its attendance and said the number that visited was clear testament to the fact that the Maltese public is proud of its new hospital.

The foundation also thanked the hundreds of people who took part in organising the open weekend and accompanying Health Festival as well as personnel from the Health Department. Thanks also went to the media for covering the event, but especially to those workers who actually built the hospital.

The foundation said it wished all workers who will be stationed at Mater Dei well and that the move to the new hospital will ensure state-of-the-art health care for the people of Malta and Gozo.