The closure of the childcare centre at Mater Dei Hospital has put Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne in a bit of a pickle.

First of all, let’s begin by saying that the centre should never have been allowed to close in the first place. Doctors and nurses work extremely hard for all of our benefits, as do others who are employed at the hospital. They work long hours and ensure that we can all be as healthy as we can be. Given that they give up so much of their time to this cause, it is obvious that a childcare centre at the hospital is a requirement.

Speaking to medical staff who have been affected by this decision, The Malta Independent was informed that Mater Dei personnel called them last Friday to let them know they need to find an “alternative place” for their children to be looked after, as the childcare was to close on the same day. It has to be said that aside from being an altogether bad idea to close the centre, not giving parents a proper advanced warning is absolutely not on.

Over the past years the government made it a point to offer free childcare services to encourage more people to enter the work place. This was a good idea and still is, but stopping such a facility in Malta’s main hospital makes no sense.

This newsroom understands that there is a licensing issue involved, and one hopes that it can be remedied, and fast.

But aside from that, a statement made by Fearne raised many eyebrows. On Tuesday, the minister said that the childcare centre had reopened, only for it to later be revealed that this was not the case.

Then, the minister mentioned the situation in Parliament on Wednesday, when he promised to reopen the childcare centre. This pledge is welcome news.

But then Fearne went on to say something else. He expressed his disagreement with it closing down in the first place. However, he said that he understood why it was closed, saying that it was not used that much. The latter is not an excuse. It would be a good excuse if this was some random childcare centre in a locality sure, but not at Malta’s main hospital.

A childcare service in a major public hospital is not something optional. It is a necessary service. Even if only a few use it, those few might need it in order for them to work an important job for the benefit of people’s health.

Fearne emphasised the importance of a childcare centre at Mater Dei and revealed that he has started talking to the Education Ministry to make sure this childcare centre reopens.

We hope that this situation will be resolved soon, and that the centre will once again reopen quickly.