Health Minister Chris Fearne today rebuked an Opposition MP, Jason Azzopardi, for spreading baseless allegations regarding the tender process for the building of a prefabricated hospital to deal with Coronavirus cases.

Addressing the media in Gozo, Fearne said that the company mentioned by Azzopardi - which, according to the Nationalist MP, had an advantage over others because it had known about the tender before the call was issued - was not even interested in bidding.

Nonetheless, he had ordered an investigation and the tendering process had been suspended until the matter is cleared.

Fearne, who anticipated the press conference to be given by Health Chief Charmaine Gauci by saying that 10 new Coronavirus cases had been rgistered in the last 24 hours, said that the number of beds available in Gozo will reach 123, excluding 13 beds for intensive care cases.

Fearne described the divergence between what he said in a press conference on Thursday and what Prime Minister Robert Abela said on TVM on Friday as “fine tuning”, noting that some amendments had been made to the guidelines in a Cabinet meeting on Friday. 

On Thursday, Fearne had initially announced a stringent set of measures which put those over 65 years of age, those with chronic conditions, and the people who share a household with them, under effective lockdown. This was reversed 24 hours later by the Prime Minister who, on TVM, said that “this is not a lockdown”.

Fearne said that with such measures where the public’s health is at stake and which affect such a large proportion of the population, certain amendments have to be made from time to time to make things more efficient and practical.  

He said that a legal notice indicating the guidelines will be issued very soon, and again said that these guidelines are in place for the benefit of everyone’s health – stressing that those in the categories mentioned should follow the guidelines for their own safety.

Fearne was asked about the suspension of the tendering process for the planned prefabricated hospital which will be set up near Mater Dei Hospital.  On Thursday Fearne had said that the process had been suspended after an Opposition MP – Jason Azzopardi – had made allegations that a company knew about the tender beforehand and hence had an unfair advantage.

Fearne said that he does not tolerate any form of corruption – even if they are allegations – and immediately asked the CEO of the Central Procurement and Supplies Unit to suspend the process and his Permanent Secretary and the Director of the Contracts Department to check whether there were any irregularities. 

The investigations are still ongoing and the process is still suspended, but Fearne said that in the meantime he had received a letter from the company which Azzopardi had mentioned wherein the company not only categorically denied knowing about the project beforehand, but said that they hadn’t even launched a bid on it.

“These are unfounded and baseless allegations, but we will continue the administrative investigation nonetheless”, Fearne said.

 

'Total collaboration' with Steward Health Care

Fearne also insisted that there is "total collaboration and cooperation with Steward Health Care."

He said there were commercial issues to do with contracts and legal things.  Those issues are there and remain there and the government is negotiating on these issues, he said.

"This is not the moment to lose focus on the health side. The way we are working with Steward and Barts is exemplary," he continued.m

The government has asked for 120 beds to be provided for Covid-19 patients in Gozo, Fearne said.

"I am informed that we already have almost half that amount available, and in two weeks we will have a full complement of 123 beds."

The number of beds at the ITU will go up to 20, and 13 of these will be used for Covid-19 patients. The hospital will soon have the required number of ventilators.

Fearne said he hopes that these beds are not needed, but they are there should the need arise.

 

Preparations in Gozo

Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri said that there has only been one case of Coronavirus in Gozo so far. Nonetheless, the hospital is being prepped for all eventualities and to treat Covid-19 patients locally.

Elderly people living at Dar Sant' Anna are being relocated to another residence in Rabat. This has freed up 80 beds at the hospital.

He said that measures such as screening of every passenger from Cirkewwa and Mgarr are still in place. Ferries, boats, buses and terminals are fumigated daily. Camilleri reiterated that non-essential travel between the islands should be avoided. "This is not the time for weekend breaks," he said.

The Gozo Stadium has temporarily been converted into a Civil Protection station.

Nadine Delicata, Director of  Steward Health Care, said the hospital is working hand in hand with the health authorities and is following the same guidelines.

Steward has created a task force to deal with preparations at the Gozo hospital and Karin Grech in Malta, and it meets more than once a day to revise preparations continuously.

Staff are being trained and arrangements are being made to increase the number of beds.

Delicata said that when a Covid-19 patient is transferred to Malta, this is done on directions from the Health Department.

Steward, she said, currently has two air ambulances. Coronavirus swabs are being taken in Gozo and processed at Mater Dei Hospital.