Health minister takes no questions on Dalli report

The health minister, Godfrey Farrugia, avoided questions about an IT consultant directly appointed by John Dalli, to carry out a review of Mater Dei Hospital's patient administration system.

While yesterday Farrugia distanced himself from the report, saying it did not represent government's position, today the health minister exited a press conference without taking journalists' questions.

Dalli, a former European Commissioner for health, was appointed by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to carry out a review of the hospital's administration. But his less-than-satisfactory report was taken to task yesterday by the nurses' union MUMN for pointing out work practices that Dalli said had to be changed.

MUMN president Paul Pace yesterday hinted that Dalli's report was a prelude to the introduction of outside consultants to take over hospital management. His comments came after The Times revealed that the government had abandoned a €25 million tender for a fully integrated IT system at the hospital.

This morning, Farrugia was hosting representatives from BICA (The British Infertility Counselling Association) at the ministry of health itself, but representatives from the press were only allowed to stay for the first few minutes.

However, it was expected that the minister would speak to the press after the meeting.

Instead, whilst the press waited outside, Farrugia exited the meeting from a side door and declared himself 'unavailable' to answer any of the press' questions.

"Unfortunately, the minister has no time to speak to the media at the moment," a staff spokerperson said.

Pressed on whether Farrugia was not willing to speak to the press, the same spokesperson stressed that it was not because he did not want to, but because he did not have the time, and that any questions should be sent to the ministry.

The conference itself, held at the health ministry, was a meeting between ministry officials and representatives of BICA - a British-based association which specialises in the training and counseling of medical personnel on the subject of IVF.

The minister said that whilst Mater Dei Hospital had the "best equipped labs", it also wanted to ensure that, through the training offered by such associations like that of BICA, the country's medical institutes would also have the "best equipped personnel".

According to Farrugia, BICA would help to "seek and promote education for couples". He emphased the importance of counseling on the subject, explaining that the IVF process can have lasting psychological effects for couples such as desolation and depression,.