The Chinese Embassy in Malta will donate €45,000 towards the development of a multisensory space for children at Mater Dei Hospital's Emergency Department, aimed at providing a calmer environment for young patients with autism, additional needs or sensory processing difficulties.
Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ian Borg said visiting the Emergency Department can be stressful for children, particularly those who find noise, lighting and unfamiliar surroundings difficult to manage.
He said quality healthcare must also include an environment that responds to each patient's individual needs, describing the project as a small but significant initiative made possible through cooperation with the Chinese Embassy.
The multisensory space will initially be introduced within the existing Emergency Department, ahead of plans to incorporate the service into its planned expansion. The first phase will allow the hospital to assess the benefits of the space, with feedback from children, parents and healthcare professionals informing its further development.
Borg thanked the Chinese Embassy for its donation and the healthcare professionals involved in the project, adding that an inclusive health service must adapt care to the needs of every individual.
Chinese Ambassador to Malta Zhang Zuo said healthcare cooperation was an important part of relations between the two countries, expressing hope that the project would benefit children and young people while strengthening ties between Malta and China.
Borg also thanked President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca for advancing the idea through the Malta Trust Foundation, which will collaborate in developing the project.
Coleiro Preca welcomed the initiative, saying she was encouraged by the Deputy Prime Minister's willingness to recognise the need for such a space and draw on the foundation's expertise to help implement it.
The initiative is intended to support children and adolescents receiving emergency care, as well as their parents and families, by providing an environment that better accommodates their needs during what can be a worrying time.