Mental health challenges in Malta are growing at an alarming rate, the Nationalist Party said Friday, yet the government continues to drag its feet to take action to contain the situation.
Official statistics show that in 2024, over 2,200 people were admitted to either Mater Dei Hospital or Mount Carmel via the Emergency Department due to mental health crises. This means that, on average, more than six people seek urgent mental health care every day. Meanwhile, around 25% of the population suffers from some form of mental health condition.
At a press conference about the situation of mental healthcare in Malta, Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Mental Health Ian Vassallo, Shadow Minister for Inclusion and NGOs Graziella Galea, and Shadow Minister for the Family and Social Services Albert Buttigieg stated that despite these stark realities, the Government continues to show a lack of priority and a tone of indifference towards a crisis that is affecting thousands of Maltese and Gozitans.
This government indifference exposes the hypocrisy of those who speak warmly in front of cameras but fail to act.
The Labour Party made numerous promises in its electoral manifestos regarding mental health services - in 2013, 2017, and again in 2022 - yet these pledges remain unfulfilled.
Seven years ago, a new mental health hospital near Mater Dei was promised. This year, it was announced that it would not go ahead, and instead a few wards would be added to Mater Dei - a plan that now appears to be faltering. In May last year, the Government declared Mount Carmel would close, only to later say it would remain open. Most recently, the Health Minister suggested patients who are unhappy with the hospital are free to leave, the speakers said.
The Government has not only failed to deliver promised projects but also lacks a clear understanding of the situation and the political will to address it. To date, it has been unable to provide basic information about how many people under 30 are seeking help.
Tragedies linked to untreated mental health problems can only be reduced if Malta has an efficient, dignified system worthy of a modern European country in 2025.
The Partit Nazzjonalista believes mental health must be given equal importance as physical health. Mental health conditions affect everyone, but particularly people with disabilities and minorities, who often face double the challenges and greater marginalisation. The lack of suitable services is only worsening their situation.
Suicide is a growing plague in our society. In 2024, official statistics show 28 suicides in Malta - 25 of them men. The year before, 27 people died by suicide, and 126 attempted to take their lives. This is a stark reflection of a deep crisis that demands a national prevention plan without delay.
The Partit Nazzjonalista renews its commitment to comprehensive mental health reform, including: investment in a new, modern hospital; specialised human resources and updated training; accessible and inclusive services for all; structured support for families and caregivers; Public education campaigns to combat stigma and a national task force for suicide prevention
The PN said it believes in a society that listens, understands, and delivers the necessary services to ensure a dignified life for all - not one that ignores and sidelines people. Mental health is a fundamental right, and those in power have a duty to safeguard the mental wellbeing of every person through services fit for today's realities.