MUMN cautions newspaper against exercising ‘excessive pressure’

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) has cautioned the Malta Independent against exercising “excessive pressure” in a case which involves the alleged abuse of a 10-year-old boy at Mount Carmelo Hospital.

“Now that the newspaper has carried out its duty and informed the public of the alleged case, it should also respect the natural course of the investigation and await the results,” MUMN secretary general Colin Galea.

The newspaper on Sunday carried an on-the-record interview with the mother of the boy who suffers from muscular dystrophy and behavioral problems. The mother recounted how a male nurse had allegedly beaten her son after the young patient refused to take his heart medication and threw the pills and water to the ground.

The nurse allegedly pushed the boy to the ground. When the kid offended him, the nurse “punched the boy on both sides of his rib cage”, the mother claimed. The newspaper also published photos of the alleged bruises on the child’s body.

In a statement issued this morning, the MUMN “urged” the newspaper not to exercise “excessive pressure” over the case that was being investigated by the police and the department. An internal inquiry was also launched.

MUMN said that while the Police investigating the case didn’t find proof of violence, the case will still be presented in court due to the “excessive media pressure”. According to the MUMN, the media “may now be an accomplice in an alleged case which is being fabricated by an individual seeking government compensation because they are passing through a financially difficult time”.

The union said this was unfair.

“The MUMN is against any form of abuse but it will not accept that a nurse is abused by others. The union is informed that the person who spoke with [the Malta Independent] is after a sum of money,” Galea said.

The hospital management was following procedure and investigating the case to ensure that members of the staff who abuse of their patients face disciplinary steps. However, this cannot be done at the expense of who is innocent.

“It is useless attacking the hospital management if the management is actually doing its job properly. The MUMN has several disagreements with the management but it also recognises when the hospital is doing the right thing. It is also silly to involve partisan politics in such cases.”

The MUMN urged everyone to allow the Police Force and the two boards of investigation to do their job without facing any undue pressure.

“An innocent person may end up going through a painful ordeal if undue and excessive pressure is made.”