Health Ministry launches first phase of Gozo General Hospital regeneration

The Health Minister has announced the first phase of the Gozo General Hospital regeneration project has been launched.

Minister Jo Etienne Abela explained that a number of elderly patients currently in the Male Geriatric Ward who require long-term care will be relocated to Dar San Ġużepp in Għajnsielem in preparation for the project.

Abela stated that once the relocation is complete, the final phase of geological tests on the site, where the new acute hospital with around 400 beds will be developed, will commence.

He mentioned that in the coming days, a call for expressions of interest will be issued to lease a building that will temporarily house the hospital’s administration while the project is being completed, thus allowing the necessary demolition and excavation work on the hospital to begin.

“This has been one of our priorities, and over the past few months, intensive and continuous work has been carried out to enable the project to get underway. This will be another government promise delivered, resulting in better healthcare for Gozitans,” Minister Abela concluded.

Before the concession was terminated, Vitals Global Healthcare was granted a 30-year concession agreement to operate the Gozo, St Luke’s and Karen Grech hospitals in a public-private partnership. The company was expected to invest millions to rebuild the Gozo hospital and refurbish St Luke’s and Karen Grech for use as private hospitals.

No refurbishment was carried out.