Works on a new facility for the National Blood Transfusion Service, co-funded by the EU, will allow the processing and use of bone marrow and umbilical cord cells to be done in Malta, the government said.

This service, which is commonly used in conjunction with chemo or radiotherapy, previously required patients to go abroad as it was previously unavailable in Malta.  

The Minister for Health, Jo Etienne Abela, visited the works being done by the Foundation for Medical Services as well as the National Blood Transfusion Service as part of a €30 million project which will result in a new facility for the National Blood Transfusion Service which is expected to provide various requisites, including new services, the Ministry for Health said.

It said that the new centre will ascertain the continuation of the main ongoing services whilst supporting the introduction of new services which will allow the development of new therapeutic strategies such as laboratories for processing blood, testing blood, microbiology and quality control as well as facilities with will allow cell manipulation.

The Ministry said that the new services will also include Tissue Typing (HLA) facilities, stem and marrow cell banking. It explained that Tissue Typing is used to match patients to donors for stem cell transplants from bone marrow or the umbilical cord. 

Abela explained that the introduction of these new services will complement the Oncology Hospital and end the need for intensive chemotherapy patients, or those receiving radiotherapy, which must be supported by the transplant of stem cells, to go abroad for treatment.

“This project, which is co-financed by EU funds, is expected to be finished in 2025. Through this new facility, work conditions will be improved which will benefit both the patients as well as the healthcare workers whilst offering new opportunities for scientists, staff and health science students,” Abela concluded.