Gonzi ‘proud’ of his administration’s fight against cancer

The prevention programmes and health treatment for cancer patients would remain central to a new PN government's policy, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said.

Decribing his government's efforts to fight cancer as the "feather in our cap," Gonzi said that these efforts were only possible thanks to the country's sound finances.

In a press conference at the party headquarters in Pieta, the PN leader explained the party's plans to continue fighting cancer and provide the best possible treatment.

While explaining that the country had continuously stepped up its efforts to fight cancer, Gonzi pointed out his party's intentions to expend screening programmes and provide the best possible treatment at the new oncology centre which is set to open during the first year of the new legislature.

He added that the newly set up radiology department at the Gozo Hospital would soon start offering chemotherapy services which would mean that Gozitans no longer need to cross the channel to receive treatment.

On Labour leader Joseph Muscat's comments linking the Delimara power plant to cancer incidence, Gonzi said: "Muscat has so far refused to retract these comments which are ethically wrong and an attempt to exploit vulnerable people for partisan reasons."

Stressing that Muscat's claims were proved wrong by a number of experts, the PN leader said that the Opposition leader was also proved wrong by Malta's cancer incidence, ranking second in the EU and the cancer mortality rate in which Malta was ranked seventh out of the EU27.

"Despite these results, behind every number there is an individual and a family and even if we were ranked first it would still mean that people were suffering. For this reason the PN is committed to continue expanding on its programme to help prevent and treat the deadly illness of cancer."

Gonzi noted that the PN administration embarked on prevention and screening programmes to detect cancer as early as possible and give people a better chance of being treated.

On the party financing debate and the Anglu Farrugia comments on his sacking from Labour in December which dominated the news headlines since Sunday, Gonzi accused Labour of trying to deviate the public debate and conceal Farrugia's criticism.

Insisting that the PN was the only party which tackled corruption effectively and efficiently, Gonzi said Muscat had a"a lot to answer to" in regards to Farrugia's statement that Labour had strong links to construction magnates.