Opposition Leader Alfred Sant yesterday presented a document saying that in 2004 Cabinet had “agreed in principle” to introducing fees for the public health system – an accusation which was categorically denied by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

During a press conference, Dr Sant presented a policy proposal issued by the Health Ministry in December 2004, called Health Financing Reform. One paragraph said that Cabinet has agreed in principle to introducing fees, but “fees for Maltese citizens will not be introduced for the moment due to their political underpinnings”.

Earlier in the election campaign, the Labour Party had stated that if the Nationalist Party denied that a memo had been presented calling for a discussion, at Cabinet level, about introducing a payment system for the health services, then it will publish proof.

During the MLP press conference, a short excerpt was shown from a Broadcasting Authority programme where Dr Gonzi was interviewed by six journalists. Head of One News Miriam Dalli had asked the Prime Minister whether in July 2004, Cabinet had discussed a payment system for the public health service after he presented a memo and he replied saying that this information is incorrect.

A number of clips were shown during the press conference – one of these was a PN electoral clip where Dr Gonzi said that the health service is for free.

However, the Opposition Leader pointed out that the Prime Minister said that the health services are free but specified that Dr Gonzi did not say that it will remain for free.

After the clips were shown, Dr Sant said that the Prime Minister was very clear in his denials and compared them to the three denials made by St Peter in the Bible.

“This document proves that in 2004, Cabinet discussed policies to introduce a payment service for the health service,” said Dr Sant.

He went on to say that the policy proposal was issued after the Cabinet discussion which took place in July 2004.

“People deserve a better leadership – we have just heard Dr Gonzi’s denials on the subject but he was proved a liar with this document,” said Dr Sant.

“In view of this document, it is now clear why Dr Gonzi refused to give a guarantee that VAT will not increase in the future,” he added.

The Opposition Leader accused the Prime Minister of lying to the Maltese and Gozitans for the past weeks.

“The government is telling the people one thing and doing the opposite behind their backs,” said Dr Sant.

“The Labour Party does not agree with this – under a Labour government the public health service will remain free,” he said.

When asked about the 50c fee for prescribed medicines implemented under a Labour government, Dr Sant said that that was a measure to control abuse of medicines.

Furthermore, he said, the Nationalist government has been emphasising on the importance of primary health care and the present health care system and then is considering introducing fees.

Finally, Dr Sant accused Dr Gonzi of failing in his duty as Prime Minister and lying – “it is a shame.”

However, later on in the afternoon, Dr Gonzi categorically denied that a memo was ever presented to Cabinet proposing a fee system for the public health sector.

The Prime Minister expla-ined that the document that was presented by Dr Sant in the morning was a policy document that was drawn up with a number of proposals and presented to the Cabinet Committee for Social Policy.

“However, this document was never discussed at Cabinet level because it was rejected by the Cabinet Committee for Social Policy,” said Dr Gonzi.

Once again, he emphasised that he, personally, never presented a memo before Cabinet to discuss the implementation of a payment system for public health care.

When asked by this newspaper if anyone else presented a memo before Cabinet with these proposals, he repeated that a memo was never presented – by himself or anyone else.

He said that on 26 July 2004, the Health Ministry placed a memorandum putting forward the idea of a “co-payment system for the health services” for discussion.

However, he added, this idea was never meant to be a payment system but “co-payment to reduce the needless use of these services.” The memo states: “The introduction of user charges based on social solidarity and the ability to pay, mainly as an educational measure to make consumers make better use of finite healthcare resources.”

However, he added, Cabinet decided that a more detailed policy proposal was needed before this idea could be discussed and as a result, the policy document that was presented by Dr Sant was drawn up.

Furthermore, said Dr Gonzi, the policy proposal or the idea of a co-payment system was never put forward or discussed at Cabinet level.

The prime minister pointed out that it was Dr Sant who introduced a form of payment system when he was prime minister when he introduced a 50c fee for each prescription.

Similarly, said Dr Gonzi, Dr Sant had also proposed to introduce a payment system for patients residing at Zammit Clapp Hospital for medicines, food, transport and those who are social cases.

He pointed out that this proposal presented in the policy document issued in 2004 had never been implemented in four years. “If I had wanted to implement it I would have done so,” said Dr Gonzi.

The Prime Minister promised that he will never introduce a fee system for public health care. “It will always remain free and of the highest quality,” said Dr Gonzi.