Prime Minister Robert Abela on Friday visited the Children, Adolescents and Youth Services Centre in Victoria, Gozo, where he praised the ongoing efforts to provide specialised care to young people and their families. The centre, which is situated near the Gozo General Hospital, currently supports approximately 300 children and their families with a wide range of medical and therapeutic services.
Accompanied by Minister for Gozo and Planning Clint Camilleri and Minister for Health and Active Ageing Jo Etienne Abela, the Prime Minister toured the facility and met with a number of families benefiting from the services on offer.
The Victoria-based centre provides multidisciplinary support, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and child and adolescent psychiatry. In recent months, new services have also been introduced, such as educational dental hygiene, community paediatrics, and family therapy, further strengthening the centre's offering and widening access to early intervention and ongoing care.
During his visit, Abela expressed gratitude to the team of professionals working at the centre, commending their commitment to delivering care in an environment that is both inclusive and appropriate for young people. He emphasised the government's continued focus on ensuring that children and their families remain at the heart of healthcare provision.
"Children and families must be at the centre of care, and services like these ensure that Gozitan children are not left behind," he said. "This centre reflects our wider commitment to integrated and sustainable care, even beyond the main island."
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of accessibility for Gozitan residents, noting that investment in Gozo's health infrastructure remains a government priority. He said such initiatives not only enhance service delivery but also improve quality of life for families living on the island.
Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela highlighted how the inclusion of services like community paediatrics and educational dental hygiene enables earlier diagnosis and intervention, which can have a long-term positive impact on children's development. Minister Clint Camilleri meanwhile reiterated the government's dedication to improving health services in Gozo, saying the island's younger population deserved high-quality, accessible care.
The visit comes as part of the government's broader strategy to decentralise health services and invest in community-based care, particularly in more remote areas such as Gozo. Officials say that this approach ensures equity in access to healthcare while empowering professionals to work closer to the communities they serve.
The Children, Adolescents and Youth Services Centre is one of several new health-related projects introduced in Gozo in recent years. Authorities have said that continued investment in such services will remain a cornerstone of the government's long-term healthcare vision.
Prime Minister Abela concluded the visit by reaffirming the administration's intention to keep expanding health services across the islands, with a strong focus on early intervention, accessibility, and family-centred care.