Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne has announced that the next phase of expansion at the Mater Dei Hospital will include a new maternity wing, also known as a Mother & Baby Wing.

Bringing a new life into this world is a cause for joy, and the pure unbridled happiness that a new baby can bring is unrivalled and unparalleled.

So, the flipside of it is that when a couple, or a mother loses a baby in childbirth or through induced miscarriage due to complications or because the foetus did not survive the full term pregnancy, the fallout is absolutely shattering.

We have heard cases in the past where mothers who have lost a child in such a way are placed in wards with other mothers who have successfully carried to term and given birth to a healthy baby. The effect on them is absolutely shattering. Not only are these mothers torn apart by grief, but they also have to lie in a hospital bed and watch other couples or mothers fawn with delight over the new addition to their family.

Thankfully, Mater Dei has made arrangements to see that this does not happen, but it actually used to be the norm. One hopes that there will be two separate wards at the new wing, one catering especially for those who have lost their babies, along with the necessary psychological support that they might require.

The truth is that losing a child, even an unborn one, is something that people – mothers especially – never get over. They must be given the necessary help they require in a serene and private area. But of course, there are many other issues related to childbirth and after birth care that should feature in the new wing.

Some mothers are opting to go for pain-killer free births. Some want to have water births, others want to have yogic births. These are all avenues that need to be researched and put into practice. Other countries, even if they have a national health system, offer certain services against a cost – for example multisensory birthing rooms. This is something else which could be explored. Another upside to all of this is the smaller risk of infection that will be present as a result of the wing being a totally separate area. A hospital, by nature, is a place where people suffer  from illnesses and diseases. With the rise of super bugs and antibiotic resistant infections, physical distance from it can only serve to improve matters further for both mother and child.

All in all, this is a very good plan and it is hoped that it will be completed in good time. Mater Dei is overstretched as it is, in terms of bed spaces and more. Moving the wing to a separate site away from the main wing will create more room at the main building, which will in turn allow for more bed spaces and perhaps even the creation of another ward.

The government promised that it would deliver with Mater Dei Hospital. Despite all the scandals that this administration is facing, it is becoming evident that the Health Sector is finally getting the attention which it deserves.