The first dialysis service at St Vincent de Paul has been officially launched, marking the establishment of Malta's first renal unit outside Mater Dei Hospital.
The service was inaugurated by Health and Active Ageing Minister Jo Etienne Abela and Parliamentary Secretary for Active Ageing Malcolm Paul Agius Galea. The new renal unit represents an investment of €380,000 and is intended to provide essential care to patients over the age of 60 who suffer from kidney disease and require regular dialysis.
The unit will cater both for residents at St Vincent de Paul and for elderly patients living in the community. It is equipped with six dialysis machines, one of which will be kept as a back-up for emergency situations.
Speaking during the launch, Minister Abela said that the new service will allow patients to receive treatment on site at St Vincent de Paul, eliminating the need to travel elsewhere for dialysis. He said that the unit is expected to carry out up to 70 dialysis sessions per week.
Abela explained that this project forms part of a wider plan to expand dialysis services across Malta. He said that this is the first of three planned projects, with similar services expected to be introduced in the near future at the Censu Moran Regional Centre and in the northern region of the island.
As announced in the Budget, the service is also expected to expand further in the coming months, with plans to increase capacity to a total of 18 dialysis machines. Abela reiterated the government's commitment to offering high-quality care to patients within their own communities.
Parliamentary Secretary Malcolm Paul Agius Galea stressed the importance of bringing specialised services closer to elderly citizens. He said that the provision of services such as dialysis within community settings is essential to ensure that older persons can live this stage of their lives with greater comfort and dignity.
He added that the government remains committed to continuing to invest in new services, opportunities and facilities that support active ageing and improve the quality of life of older persons.