Industrial action directives by the Union Haddiema Maghqudin at the Mater Dei Hospital pharmacy, which had led to shorter opening hours, have been suspended and the pharmacy is now back to normal opening times.

The directives were issued by the union because of staff shortages, a problem also bedevilling the nursing sector, over which industrial action has been ordered by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses.

In a statement, the Health Ministry welcomed the UHM’s decision to lift the industrial action, and in what seems to be a jibe at the way the MUMN’s directives have escalated over the past days to affect patients, the ministry praised the correctness of the UHM so that patients and their families would no longer suffer.