MAM, PN say government ‘misled’ the public in announcing opening of new Mater Dei Hospital ward

The Medical Association of Malta and the Nationalist Party have accused government of misleading the public when announcing the opening of a new ward at Mater Dei Hospital.

“The MAM would to publicly point out that no new ward has been opened at Mater Dei as claimed. Ward M10 was one of the make shift temporary wards first opened in 2020 during COVID preparations. It was supposed to be a temporary measure as the place was previously the staff canteen,” the MAM said on Friday.

On Thursday, government announced the opening of a new ward which can now accommodate an additional 40 patients.

Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela said that some €1.4 million was spent to convert the space into ward M10, with an additional €140,000 spent on medical equipment to service the ward.

Changes were also carried out on the electrical and mechanical systems of the ward such as nurse call, pneumatic tubes, and medical gasses.

The health minister also said that the back part of this ward is intended to be used as a medical high-dependency unit, where professionals will be able to treat patients with severe illnesses.

Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela visits the new ward

But the MAM and the PN say government is misleading the public, as the area had been converted to a makeshift ward during the pandemic.

“A refurbished/upgrade was carried out a few months, for a period of three months and now the ward has re-opened. However, it does not offer the same level of privacy and toilet facilities as the original Mater Dei wards,” MAM President Martin Balzan said.

Opposition spokesperson for public administration Claudette Buttigieg, echoed the MAM’s statements, saying government should not deceive the public.