1,456 Maltese patients received treatment in UK

Health minister Joe Cassar says the government spends €1.5 million per year to send patients for treatment in the UK.

22 August 2012, 12:00am
by Jurgen Balzan

1 min read

Health minister Joe Cassar said that in the last four years up to 1,456 Maltese patients received free treatment in the UK. He said this during a press conference on the health department's Treatment Abroad Section.

Cassar noted that patients suffering from particular conditions are benefitting from the agreement signed between the two countries.

He explained that Malta is entitled to send up to 180 patients every year, while the government pays for the rest of the patients. He added that patients do not fork out any money at all.

"This agreement is in place to ensure that all Maltese patients receive the best possible treatment at the best medical institutions," Cassar said.

He added that the government spends €1.5 million annually to provide this service, which includes flights, accommodation, food, transport and treatment costs.

Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.

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Luke Camilleri •

So what's new? Patients have been receiving treatment overseas for years AND WE PAY FOR THIS FROM OUR TAXES ! You seem to want to give the impression that these funds are coming out of YOUR OWN COFFER or your Party's! Far from it! Why not an agreement to purchase new ambualnces and not hire scrapped ones brought over from U.K.? Why refunding back budgeted funds from the health Sector back to Minister of Finance? Is the Health sector according to Dr. Cassar all about sending flowers to dead constituents and silver platters from his budget?

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Thanks to Dom Mintoff.