A new diabetes medicine will be offered for free on the government medicine list as from September, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Chris Fearne announced this evening. Speaking at a ‘Gvern li Jisma’ event at the Auberge de Castille, Mr Fearne said the medicine usually costs €60 per packet.
He also announced that the number of out-of-stock medicines has decreased drastically and is at the lowest level for years. There were no out of stock medicines in the past ten weeks.
Mr Fearne also said that all cancer treatment services will have moved from Boffa Hospital to the new Oncology Hospital by August. One of the biggest problems inherited from the previous administration was the bed shortage problem at Mater Dei Hospital. “Every cloud has a silver lining. If we did not have the bed shortage problem we would not have found out about the weak concrete.”
The Parliamentary Secretary said Mater Dei will soon boast 300 extra beds. In total, the various hospitals in Malta and Gozo will have 500 extra beds between them. The Parliamentary Secretary also announced that an ambulance will be stationed at the Paola Health Centre.
Health and Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi told those present that the information revealed so far about the weak concrete used at Mater Dei Hospital was “only the tip of the iceberg.” More reports of defects and shortcomings were coming in. He urged anyone with information to come forward, under the protection of the Whistleblower Act. Said the government would be going after Skanska and all contractors involved to recoup the money spend on weak concrete.
Turning to the Delimara gas-fired power station, Dr Mizzi said the project is on track. Birzebbuga residents will benefit from the change-over to gas. The Delimara chimney will be removed and so will the oil tanks. MEPA is currently processing the permits to remove the oil tanks. The area will be rehabilitated. “Successive PN administrations brought landfills to the south while we are bringing in investment.” The oldest part of the Delimara power station will also close down, and dust particles will be cut by more than 90%.
On the health sector, Dr Mizzi said waiting time at the emergency department has gone down to an average of four hours, Dr Mizzi said. This was still not enough and waiting times will be reduced further.
Apart from Dr Mizzi and Mr Fearne’s interventions, the supposedly ‘public consultation’ meeting turned out to be a praise-heaping session by individuals, officials from private companies, senior members of public entities and Labour Mayors, while virtually no real questions were asked to the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary. The most interesting part of the event was when a woman suggested to the minister that ‘obese’ nurses at Mater Dei did not do much in the way of setting an example to the general public. Her comments were greeted with a round of applause and laughter.