MUMN calls for better treatment of pregnant women and staff

The MUMN said the fact that pregnant women admitted to Mater Dei hospital were being placed on beds in corridors due to the overflow of the maternity ward was "deplorable and unacceptable".

In a press release today, the MUMN said it was protesting the way the Health Division is treating pregnant women about to give birth due to a lack of planning and policies.

“These women are being stripped of their dignity and place in the middle of a corridor without any respect towards what they are feeling during this sensitive and emotional time,” said the MUMN.

According to the union, the health division promised to solve the problem numerous times but after "just a few months", pregnant women were not given a bed based on the excuse that it is a seasonal occurrence which happens every year.

Pregnant women were also sent home due to the chronic problem of insufficient beds since the hospital’s opening. As a solution to the problem the Health Division placed beds and stretchers in four different corridors for women to give birth and recover.

“These women are not even given the basic necessities such as privacy which is essential to every patient’s recovery,” said the MUMN.

The situation is also causing a further reduction in nurses and midwives available due to the fact that the already small amount on duty is being distributed outside of the main wards to treat patients in the corridors.

The MUMN said they have appealed to the Health Department to take responsibility of the situation and not allow the division to be run by certain professionals instead of them.

“The administrative decisions need to be taken by the Health Department and not the professionals. If this situation continues, women will continue to suffer the negative consequences as a result of this situation. Apart from this, the nurses and midwives are going to continue to be negatively affected by ever bad decision made by the Health Division,” MUMN said.