Prime Minister steers clear of criticism on doctors’ accord

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this morning said nothing about the criticism raised by former health minister Louis Deguara, who described the 2007 collective agreement signed with doctors as "flawed".

In a one-hour interview on the Nationalist Party's media, Radio 101, Gonzi spoke in length about the health sector, but he failed to clarify matters on the doctors' accord.

Deguara has said that even though the health department had not agreed with the agreement, "orders from above" had forced the health officials to sign the agreement with the doctors.

His successor, and today a European Commissioner, John Dalli, confirmed this.

But in comments to MaltaToday, the president of the Medical Association of Malta (MAM), Martin Balzan, is insisting that since the agreement, the health sector has improved.

The Prime Minister also reacted to the several press conferences held by the Labour Party, denouncing the budget cuts made in the health sector.

However, Gonzi denied that the health care has suffered cuts and insisted that expenditure has increased.

"It is not true that there where cuts. On the contrary, spending in health care has increased, even when compared to the previous years. Moreover, statistics show that more people are making use of the services of Mater Dei, while government continues to increase its free medicines list, the breast screening programme and the number of operations taking place at the hospital," Gonzi said.

He added that the expenditure on operations alone has increased from €63 million to €64 million in a year.

Gonzi went to on to list further investment in the oncology centre; services to help the elderly living in the community; the care provided by government for patients suffering from dementia and the improvement in the environment to serve as a prevention for several illnesses caused by polluted air.