Doctors calls for dialogue amid growing healthcare crisis: ‘Government has stopped listening’
The Medical Association of Malta raises concerns about government’s refusal to hold proper discussions as trade dispute intensifies

The Medical Association of Malta (MAM) has raised serious concerns about the government’s refusal to hold proper discussions on healthcare issues.
In a press release on Sunday morning, MAM Vice-President Jeffrey Bonnici and General Secretary JP Tabone accused the government that it had “stopped listening”.
There is a growing lack of communication between doctors and the authorities, MAM said.
The union is currently in a trade dispute with the government over an outsourcing agreement that allows non-serious emergency patients at Mater Dei Hospital to be sent to private hospitals for treatment. The union has instructed doctors not to refer patients under this agreement, saying the government failed to consult them before signing it.
On Friday, a MAM delegation walked out of a meeting with Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela with the union threatening to escalate actions from Wednesday.
In its statement on Sunday, the union denied Abela’s claim that the dispute was the result of MAM President Martin Balzan’s personal grievance for having missed out on a promotion.
"The move was a collective decision by the MAM council and had nothing to do with personal grievances," Bonnici and Tabone said.
They also explained that industrial action is always a last resort for doctors.
The decision to take action came after months of trying to resolve issues through proper discussions, which MAM claims were ignored by the government.
The union argued that the outsourcing plan would have made waiting times worse and delayed care for patients even further.
“Had this plan been implemented, waiting times in the Emergency Department would have increased and patients would have taken even longer to be seen," they claimed.
MAM also raised concerns about the slow progress in fixing problems caused by the Vitals/Steward deal, which left Malta’s healthcare system struggling after years of poor investment and wasted opportunities.
Waiting times for patients have reportedly quadrupled, while facilities like the Vincent Moran hub in Paola remain closed despite being ready for use.
MAM warned that these serious problems need urgent attention and cannot be solved through arguments. "The challenges in health are too big and too urgent to waste time squabbling," they said, calling for immediate action and proper consultation with all stakeholders to address Malta’s ongoing healthcare crisis.