Advanced Cardiac CT and Cardiac MRI services have begun being offered at the Gozo General Hospital, the Ministry for Health stated.

Minister Jo Etienne Abela said that this is an important step forward in cardiac care for Gozitan and Maltese patients, as he spoke of the recent acquisition of two state-of-the-art MRI and CT scanners. He said that the Gozo General Hospital can now offer detailed and non-invasive heart tests, which he added will allow for earlier and more accurate diagnosis.

The minister said that the introduction of Cardiact CT allows rapid detection of coronary artery disease in low and intermediate risk patients, as well as precise visualisation of heart valves and the aorta in certain patients. He continued that the introduction of Cardiac MRI offers in-depth examinations of heart functions as well as heart inflammation, scarring of the heart muscle, and the assessment of heart valves.

The ministry said that this service, thanks to the collaboration of the Department of Medical Imaging headed by Dr Melvin D'Anastasi and the Department of Cardiology, will allow for efficient diagnosis and advanced treatment of heart disease. It continued that this will reduce the need for patients to travel to Malta for specialist services. It added that this highlights the government's commitment to developing health services and improving outcomes for Gozitan and Maltese patients.

Minister Abela said that thanks to the investment of around €5 million in recent months in the Gozo Hospital, the waiting list for MRI and CT scans has been completely eliminated and ith as now also been made possible for the services to start being offered in Gozo itself. He concluded that the government is committed to continuing to expand and introduce more services to help Maltese and Gozitan patients.