Doctors launch Malta’s first free medical consultation online platform

Family doctors offer free online platform for medical information and other advice sent directly to mobile phone

Tony Cassar and Chris Deguara
Tony Cassar and Chris Deguara

A group of doctors, following an initiative by family doctor Dr Christopher Deguara, has teamed up with Cyberspace founder and CEO Tony Cassar to launch www.doctor.mt, a temporary free online platform that gives correct and updated medical information and receive direct and free medical advice on their mobile phone.

“Doctor.mt will help ensure that people stay indoors as much as possible thereby reducing the load on our health services which at present are struggling to keep up with the increased demand. This initiative also reduces the risk of contagion and being free of charge, lessens the financial burden of our families during the present crisis,” said Dr Chris Deguara, who is also a local councillor for Naxxar.

Requests to www.doctor.mt can be logged at any given time, with a team of specialists, working from home, available to reply to requests between 8:30am till 8:30pm.

Patients will be asked to open an account, with which they will be able to either obtain information or request a doctor’s consultation. A system manager manned by Voluntiera Malta will assign requests to the available specialists in Family Medicine on roster for the fastest response possible. The specialist then calls or replies via WhatsApp and dispense a prescription via electronic system.

“The project is being totally funded by sponsors and we are all truly grateful that they believed in this initiative to offer a free private medical service to the whole of Malta,” Dr Deguara said.

The platform has received the distinguished patronage of His Excellency the President of Malta George Vella who is also by profession a Specialist in Family Medicine.

Dr Deguara and Tony Cassar said the project has been backed by sponsors Cyberspace, WH Partners, James Caterers, Simblija Care Home, Farsons, MultiGas, Attard Brothers, Right Projects Company Ltd, Nectar, Peking Chinese Cuisine, CE installations, Attrans Ltd, CellPhone, Voluntiera Malta and other private individuals.