The Malta Independent 10 February 2025, Monday
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The Government's stubbornness in healthcare has now led to industrial action – PN

Friday, 24 January 2025, 17:32 Last update: about 16 days ago

The "stubbornness and arrogance" of Prime Minister Robert Abela, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela, and the Labour Government are making patients pay the price, the Nationalist Party said in a statement.

"Despite the warnings the Government has received over recent months and years about the critical state of the healthcare sector - not just from the Nationalist Party - Robert Abela and Jo Etienne Abela ignored everyone. This has left doctors with no choice but to resort to industrial action," the PN, through a statement signed by its shadow ministers for health, Adrian Delia, and primary care and mental health, Ian Vassallo, said.

"Following directives issued by the Malta Medical Association (MAM), which are affecting the transfer of Mater Dei Hospital Emergency patients to private hospitals, the actions have now been extended to health centres and the primary care sector. We have reached the point of an emergency within the Emergency Department."

The PN said that it does not celebrate industrial action but understands that when doors are repeatedly closed, and those responsible for listening turn a deaf ear, there is no other path to take.

"Robert Abela and his Government have no shame in playing with the health of the Maltese and Gozitan people. They demonstrated this when they committed fraud with the hospitals and are continuing to confirm it today."

The PN said it has been offering to participate in discussions to find solutions for this sector for years.

"These are some of the solutions the PN is proposing to the Government: 1.       Functional health centres, including Hubs in the north and south of Malta, 2. Investment in St Luke's Hospital to alleviate the burden on Mater Dei Hospital by providing more hospital beds, 3.  A new general hospital in Gozo, 4.  Serious investment in the availability of medicines, 5. Allocating public funds to essential needs rather than fraudulent deals like Vitals and Steward, 6. State-of-the-art medical equipment, 7. Improved working conditions to attract more professionals to the sector, 8. Increased investment in elderly care, 9. Investment in mental health and the construction of a long-promised new mental health hospital, which has yet to materialise"

"Robert Abela must set aside his arrogance and hostility and listen to those who want to help. So far his stubbornness has only resulted in suffering for patients and professionals in the healthcare sector," the statement read.

 


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