Labour - 'Health sector shows government cut off from reality'

The Labour Party spokesperson for health, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said that the Health Minister Joe Cassar was in denial about the problems afflicting the sector.

Speaking in reaction to Cassar's press conference held yesterday about the accomplishments of the Ministry during the past four years, Coleiro Preca said "This is a short-sighted government that falls short of the expectations raises, through bad planning and lack of consideration."

"The government does not really have the health sector at heart because it has failed to offer a quality service which safeguards the dignity of the most vulnerable persons in society," she said.

Coleiro Preca said the current administration has no vision for the health sector and is incapable of setting up a long-term plan.

She added that Cassar's speech failed to address the bed shortage at Mater Dei, the growing waiting lists for operations and tests, out of stock medicines and equipment.

On Mater Dei Hospital, Coleiro Preca said while the Intensive Care Unit is too small, "although the government was recommended to have a larger unit, the paediatric ITU is still being used as a store room."

She asked whether the new oncology hospital will have an ITU to ease the pressure off Mater Dei Hospital.

Coleiro Preca said that instead of addressing the plethora of problems afflicting the most vulnerable persons in society, Cassar chooses to blame other persons.

PL spokesperson on the elderly, Anthony Zammit, who also addressed the press conference, said that the elderly "are at risk of losing their dignity."

He said that the government was cut off from reality, because "many elderly persons are not aware of programmes and initiatives they are eligible for."

Zammit also explained that although it cannot be denied that pensioners have seen their pensions increase by €1,000 since 2008, the drastic increases in utility bills and medicines have to be taken into consideration.