In an interview given to our sister paper The Malta Independent on Sunday, which was published yesterday, Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia announced that the government was planning to build a new Health centre in the South of Malta.
The news is very welcome and positive on a number of fronts. First of all, the residents of Zurrieq, Qrendi, Mqabba, Safi and Kirkop will have a primary health care facility which is within easy reach. At present, residents in these areas have to travel all the way to Paola or Floriana. Putting a new health centre within their reach will improve their standard of living, and it may also even save lives.
In addition, by putting a health centre within easy reach, it may eliminate the choice that people in these areas make, in terms of thinking that they might as well go straight to Mater Dei hospital, given that they have to drive a fair distance anyway. It might be just a few people, but it will help to alleviate the queues in the Casualty Department.
The new health centre is expected to be completed “by the end of this legislature”. Forgetting political mileage and electioneering (further down the line when it is opened), we must reiterate that this is a very welcome development.
The Health Minister also announced that the building of the new health centre will form part of a review which will see the introduction of various medical services in other polyclinics to further reduce the burden on Mater Dei.
One such measure will include the decision to offer blood tests at six of the nine health centres and results will also be available immediately. There is no magic fix for the Health system in Malta. Like other countries that have nationalised health services, there is wastage and bureaucracy. In addition, there is also the problem of the hospital being too small. But by diversifying the role of health centres and the services they offer, we can begin to alleviate some of the pressure that besets Mater Dei. People are living longer, and as a result, more strain is put on the national health service. We may be living longer, but in doing so, elderly people fall victim to more and more ailments as they head into their twilight years.
The idea is good, but it also needs to be coupled with an education campaign. Far too often, being the Mediterranean hypochondriacs that we are, we resort to going to polyclinics (and even hospital) for very minor ailments that could easily be seen to by our family doctors. Family doctors in Malta are absolute gems, they go above and beyond the call of duty every day, in seeing to their patients. One only has to remember the trauma that Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia went through when he left his practice to take up his role as Health Minister. His position was sympathised with by former health minister Joe Cassar who offered his full support on the matter. Our health system is beset by problems of all kinds, but this move is one piece of the jigsaw puzzle that has been put in the right place.