Government’s continual efforts to provide the very best for citizens, while aiming at a better life and a high standard of living, is sometimes taken for granted without any consideration to the whole strategy and the hefty investment necessary for such achievements.

Government spends a €1 million a day on health, including an annual expenditure of €70 million in free medication which, after the necessary reforms, now covers 1,334 different types of medicine, including the highly expensive medication needed in the treatment of cancer and dementia. A total of 76,000 people collect their free medication from 159 pharmacies in more than 55 localities under the Pharmacy of Your Choice Scheme and the price of most medication bought by individuals has been substantially reduced and now compares favourably with costs in other EU countries.

Reference must also be made to the projected hospital for cancer treatment that is currently being constructed and that will accommodate 96 patients compared to the present situation at Boffa Hospital, which accommodates only 27; to the investment of millions in breast screening and the fact that 120 operations are carried out daily at Mater Dei, and a significant number are also carried out in private clinics at government expense. Last year, 524,000 patients were treated in the Out-patients Department and medical staff from the Health Centres visited 12,555 house-bound patients in their home.

Hospital care is, of course, a very important component in the well-being of people but the environment plays another important role. Government is continually incentivising families to save on the amount of electricity they use and generate cleaner air. A million energy-saving light bulbs were handed out to 130,000 families; grants were given to 5,330 families that installed solar energy panels; more families are installing solar water heating; aid was given up to €2,000 for exchanging old vehicles for modern, smaller ones; there has been a reduction in licences for electric cars; grants of up to a €1,000 have been given to 445 householders for installing double glazing and roof insulation in their property; and then there is government’s target to install an interconnector so that energy is brought from Sicily instead of the power station.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure and this is why the government has put the instilling of a sports culture high on its agenda. At grassroots level, it has introduced a number of initiatives involving children and youngsters before, during and after schools hours, in modern schools and colleges with state-of-the art facilities and equipment. The programmes that are planned by the Sport Promotion Unit of the Sports Council are aimed to reach the 31,343 students attending local colleges.

The government is striving to make sport and physical activity an important and valued component of our people’s lifestyle. This has started with our children, because the grassroots is the best place to inculcate a culture, but we are targeting various sectors of society through the Sport for All programmes. In the last three years we have involved almost 13,000 people through our Sports Initiatives Scheme for local councils. State schools have been opened for the use of the community and, apart from hosting local sports clubs after school hours, the public has been invited to join the walking and jogging clubs, using the synthetic tracks in our schools. In addition, outdoor fitness centres and adventure parks are being installed around the island. Of course, changing a culture is never easy, but the provision of adequate spaces and facilities, coupled with education campaigns, should do the job.

I take this opportunity to wish a Happy Easter to all TMIS readers.

Clyde Puli is the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport