Government to issue tender for drone service linking Mater Dei and Gozo Hospital

Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela has announced a public call will be issued in the coming days for a drone service to establish the rapid transfer of pharmaceutical and biological material between Mater Dei Hospital and Gozo General Hospital.

Abela said in recent months the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, together with Gozo General Hospital, had worked to structure the tender for the service.

“The drone service is expected to benefit dozens of Gozitan patients in Gozo itself and reduce unnecessary inconvenience for them and their families,” Abela said.

Through the technology, 11 types of monoclonal antibody medicines are expected to be transferred regularly, safely and swiftly, enabling more patients to receive the treatment they require in a section that will be expanded within the Day Care Unit at Gozo General Hospital.

“This project is linked to an extension in infrastructure which is currently being expanded to accommodate 15 patients instead of six,” the minister added.

Abela praised the efforts of the Pharmacy and Pathology departments at both hospitals and expressed appreciation for expert advice provided by Transport Malta, the Civil Protection Department and officials from the United Kingdom.

The drone service will also be used to transport blood samples, fluids and tissue samples more quickly, resulting in more robust diagnoses and improved standards of care.

The tender is intended to link all entities within the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing through the use of drones, including St Vincent de Paul and the Ċensu Moran Centre.

“This is a historic step for healthcare for Gozitans in Gozo itself, where we will be investing more than €1 million over the next two years to increase comfort and the quality of care in Gozo,” Abela said.

Back in 2021, MaltaToday had been among those invited to a press conference by HandsOn Systems, QuAero and Phoenix Wings over the launch of the Skymax Delivery Drone which is able to deliver a payload of 10kg across the Gozo-Malta Channel.

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