Health authorities to ensure continuity of care after Steward abandons hospitals contract

Updated with ADPD statement at 1:55pm

The health authorities can “immediately” operate the three hospitals that formed part of the Steward deal after the American company pulled out on Thursday, government said.

The Maltese government was reacting to Steward’s announcement earlier on Thursday that it is pulling out of the contract that saw it operate Gozo General, St Luke’s and Karin Grech hospitals on a long-term concession.

“The health authorities are in a position to immediately operate the hospitals. The government puts workers’ minds at rest that their jobs are guaranteed and patients will continue receiving medical care,” the government said in a statement.

Government is rejecting “in the most absolute way” the reasons given by Steward for abandoning the deal and the requests made by the company. Steward is blaming government failures for triggering the exit clause in the contract.

“Government will be replying to Steward’s assertions and requests in the adequate fora in the best national interest,” the statement read.

Steward’s surprise decision to abandon the hospitals contract came a day after the company appealed a court ruling that cancelled the agreement.

Judge Francesco Depasquale, last month, rescinded the hospitals contract, attributing fraudulent intent to Steward and ordering that the three hospitals be returned to the government.

ADPD demands the full publication of all original Vitals and Steward contracts

ADPD-The Green Party has demanded the publication of the full unredacted copy of the original Vitals contract and any further appendices and/or side agreements with both Vitals and Steward.

“Failure to do so carries a host of undesirable implications against the government, which may include collusion with Steward, fear of sensitive and incriminating evidence being made public by Steward or lack of political will due to incompetence by the prime minister and his health minister deputy,” ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said.

In light of the public statements from both Steward and the government, Cacopardo also insisted that the government must explain in very clear terms how it intends to ensure that “we are made whole on the loss suffered over these years.”

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