The government has no objection to increasing security in public buildings such as the hospital, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela said Friday.

Reacting to an incident in which a nurse allegedly stabbed a colleague at Mater Dei Hospital on Thursday, the minister said that like anywhere else, hospitals could be prone to criminal behaviour.

The presence of police and security officers in hospital has been available for many years.

If there is a need for this to increase, the government has no objection, Abela said.

The minister said that the incident that took place on Thursday is a crime that is being investigated by the police.

The alleged aggressor will also be facing disciplinary procedures as per public service protocols, the minister said.