This evening in parliament a motion was unanimously approved forming the parliamentary health committee.

This was done following a motion which also passed unanimously last month proposing the amendment of the standing orders of the House of Representatives to provide for the setting up of a parliamentary health committee. 

The Health committee will be chaired by Labour MP Etienne Grech and includes Deo Debattista and Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia from the government side, and shadow minister for health Claudio Grech and Nationalist MP Michael Gonzi.  The committee will discuss and scrutinize health policy, strategy and spending  including matters of  public health and patients’ rights. The committee can invite authorized persons to discuss health policy related issues. The health committee’s first meeting and agenda will be announced soon.

In comments to the media, Dr Grech said that ‘Health policy, strategy and financing is a very challenging subject mainly because modern medical care is of highly technological and advanced quality. There is  also the implication that the demands on our health system is growing year by year  because newer advances are made and as people live longer and our population is steadily ageing. 

"This needs thorough analysis of many topics related to the sustainability of a free, efficient and high quality health care for all in Malta and Gozo. Health system related documents and reports will be scrutinized as well as all the submissions from invited persons or groups with themes regarding the optimum running of our national health system at its all levels."