Government will not solve the problems it created: Delia on emergency outsourcing
Opposition health spokesperson says minister not willing to listen to Nationalist Party’s suggestions on the sector

A government which created the problems will not be the one to solve them, Opposition MP Adrian Delia said on the ongoing controversy surrounding the outsourcing of emergency care.
“The minister just does not listen,” Delia told parliament on Tuesday evening.
MAM is currently locked in dispute with the government over an outsourcing agreement that had to kick in last week. The union has directed its members not to authorise the transfer of patients seeking non-serious emergency care at Mater Dei Hospital to private hospitals. It plans to escalate industrial action from tomorrow but has not yet outlined what form this action will take.
The union is insisting the government did not consult it, as per agreement, on the public-private partnership.
On Monday, the Health Minister defended outsourcing emergency care, saying government taking proactive steps to ease pressure on Mater Dei Hospital.
In a brief address, the Opposition health spokesperson compared the current situation to the one under a Nationalist administration, suggesting the Labour government had abandoned the health sector.
He said a Nationalist administration “gave people” a state-of-the-art hospital, an Oncology hospital and quality healthcare, while the current government has only delivered failed hospitals privatisation and “failed promises”.
Delia slammed the government for delaying the opening of the Paola Health Hub, the €400 million spent on hospitals privatisation, and for declaring it won’t be building a mental health hospital and a health centre in the north of Malta.
He also reacted to a post uploaded by the Health Minister on Tuesday morning, who criticised Delia for not prioritising patients and only putting forward one proposal – government buying the now-shuttered St Philip’s Hospital.
Delia hit back by saying the Nationalist Party has put forward a raft of proposals for the health sector – a new Gozo hospital, speech and occupational therapy hubs, advanced community service and refurbishment of government clinics.
“The minister said we don’t have any proposals, but we have been making proposals all along, he just doesn’t listen,” Delia concluded. “The government which caused the problems can never solve them.”