Muscat slams government's 'incompetence' in health sector

"Hypocrisy, mediocrity and incompetence is not only visible in the running of the economy but also in the health sector," Labour leader Joseph Muscat said today.

During a brief intervention on the party's radio station, Muscat asid health minister Joe Cassar has no choice but to "carry the political responsibility" for the failure in the health sector.

Citing the shortcomings in the selection process of four consultants, Muscat said the health sector is being run in an "irresponsible, mediocre and arrogant" way.

"New revelations on the consultants' selection process are surfacing everyday and this only demonstrates the rotten state of the health sector."

The Labour leader described the situation as "worrying" and added that he is "shocked" by the reaction of the health minister, "whose only response was to table a libel suit against the Labour Party, which is only airing the views of a  umber of persons involved in the sector who have no affiliation with Labour."

Labour claims a report by the Public Service Commission which showed that four medical consultants had been appointed without being fully qualified, merited a proper investigation.

Labour also pointed out that one of the consultants chosen was education minister Dolores Cristina's son-in-law, who, according to the Public Service Commission, was not qualified to apply for the post.

Subsequently, the health ministry issued the names of doctors who sat on the Public Service Commission's selection commissions. It transpired that one of the doctors on the selection boards was Labour candidate Franco Mercieca who claimed that he had raised the issue of ineligibility of one of the candidates as he was not on the specialist register.

However, the ministry rebutted Mercieca's claims and said there was no minority report or any disagreement registered by the ophthalmologist and Labour candidate Franco Mercieca in the selection of a consultant surgeon.

He added that the sector is not only afflicted by administrative problems, but is also facing logistical problems.

Citing the spat between the health ministry and the Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives (MUMN) on malfunctioning ambulances and untrained personnel, Muscat said minister Joe Cassar "cannot say he is not responsible for this area."

Muscat added "The situation regarding the state of ambulances and untrained personnel can endanger lives. This only shows that failure of Cassar and the Nationalist government."

This week, MUMN issued a directive asking nurses not to use hired ambulances citing health and safety concerns.

MUMN pointed out that some ambulances "are being driven by untrained and inexperienced drivers and such ambulances are also not well maintained."

The Labour leader noted that the government is only capable of rebutting criticism by denying the obvious or makes things up.

He mentioned the saga on the government claims of creating 20,000 jobs as an example.

Muscat said "figures issued by the Finance Minister Tonio Fenech confirm that in realty 4,600 jobs were created and not 20,000."

"Hypocrisy, mediocrity and incompetence is not only visible in the running of the economy but also in the health sector in both administrative and logistical mismanagement," Muscat said.