New Kirkop health centre provides regional alternative for patients

Health minister Chris Fearne has launched the Kirkop health centre project which he said will provide services to an estimated 25,000 people who live in the area.

People who live in Kirkop, Zurrieq, Mqabba, Safi and Luqa must travel to Floriana for government healthcare. Once the centre is open it will make life easier for residents of these localities.

“The opening of this centre is part of the governments policy of increasing health care centers within the community and also increasing the number and type of services offered within these centres,” Fearne said.

The centre will offer preventative services such as those related to dietary advice, exercise and help with alcohol and smoking. It will also offer services such as immunisation, a clinic for new borns as well as treatment of conditions such as diabetes and glaucoma.

The health centre will also offer outpatient services, with doctors and specialists visiting from Mater Dei in order to make it easier for these appointments to take place.

“Everything was now in place, with all the necessary planning permits having been issued and an agreement in place with the local council that will see the government rent out the building from the council,” Fearne said. 

A tender was issued over the past few days for the conversion of the building and will close at the end of October. The tender will be awarded by the beginning of next year.

Work is set to start immediately after and is expected to take 10 months with the centre opening at the end of 2017.

The centre will be run by the government and is expected to cost approximately €750,000, the minister said.