The discussion on health reform that took place on One TV’s programme Affari Taghna last Friday was – no pun intended – a healthy one indeed.

What was striking was that, unlike what usually happens in such discussions, the matter at hand was debated as the important issue it is, and not as a political football. Although, and this was to be expected, participants tried to defend their own turf in the best way possible, the way they argued made it evident that their sole intention was the improvement of the system, and not to gain political mileage.

The two Labour spokesmen, Dr Michael Farrugia and Prof. Anthony Zammit, have to be commended for their approach, which was not to score political goals, but to offer their own contribution towards having health services that are better than the ones that we are accustomed to. Their approach should serve as an example to other politicians who, unfortunately, seem to use such television opportunities for their own gain, rather than for the overall good.

Ironically, the greatest opposition to Health Minister Joe Cassar during the programme came from within his own ranks, as it was Nationalist MP Jean Pierre Farrugia who left no stone unturned to try to put (without succeeding) the minister in a corner.

His confrontational and antagonistic attitude towards his colleague exposed a kind of bitterness that is hard to explain, other than possibly being an expression of regret at not being in the minister’s shoes. His continuous “I would do this,” “I had proposed it” and “we should have done that” stood out in a negative sense when compared to the way the other speakers, including those from the Opposition benches, were sharing their thoughts.

Dr Cassar intelligently avoided the confrontation, and instead explained the difficulties that are being faced in the health sector and the way the government is tackling them. The fact that, earlier in the day, an agreement had been announced with the Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives gave him extra confidence. It was also good to note that, very often, the Opposition spokesmen were caught on camera nodding their approval to what the minister was saying.

Such healthy, apolitical discussions – where the interests of the general public come first and foremost, long before political gain – are a rarity on local television stations. Too often, such debates turn into hysterical shows which leave the viewers none the wiser.

This particular talk show however should be kept in mind as an example of how something as important as health is discussed without the need to resort to the sensationalism that often characterises these programmes.