The owner of St Philip’s Hospital has offered the use of the building in Santa Venera for use by the government for Coronavirus patients.

The suggestion came as the government is planning to build a prefabricated field hospital which needs to be ready in eight weeks.

In a reaction, St Philip’s Hospital owner Frank Portelli said that in a time of national crisis, “we are ready to offer the Hospital Building to the Maltese people on a non-profit basis”

The lease agreement will be based on the framework of the previously agreed lease agreement struck with the Government adjusted as per the cost of living & property values, Portelli wrote on Facebook.

The hospital can be refurbished to the government’s requirement, which he pledged to be completed in 8 weeks initially to treat up to 120 patients. The government’s plan for the prefabricated hospital is for 90 beds.

An extension of the facilities to 300 beds can be completed in a further 8 weeks, he said.

Keep patients before politics, Portelli said.