President Myriam Spiteri Debono has highlighted the vital support provided to Maltese patients and their families undergoing long-term medical treatment abroad.

On Thursday, the President visited the Great Ormond Street Hospital to meet with a three-year-old Maltese girl who has been receiving specialised treatment for a serious health condition for about three months. The young patient is accompanied in London by her parents and young brother, and she is expected to remain abroad for several more months of care.

Following this, the President visited the residence run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, which hosts Maltese patients and their relatives during their stay in London. There, alongside the Augustinian Sisters who also accommodate Maltese families, she spent time listening to the experiences of patients and their loved ones.

The President emphasised the essential assistance offered by entities such as the Malta Community Chest Fund to both patients and their families, who often have to spend months away from Malta and leave everything behind. Officials noted that there are currently 40 Maltese patients in the United Kingdom who, although discharged from hospitals, must remain in the UK to undergo ongoing medical consultations and follow-up tests.

The President was accompanied during her engagements by Health Minister Ian Borg, Malta's High Commissioner to the UK Prof. Stephen Montefort, and officials from the Malta Community Chest Fund. Her visit concludes on Friday with meetings for Maltese patients at the Royal Marsden Sutton Hospital and a visit to the Puttinu Cares apartments.