Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1327573
2 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 13 JANUARY 2021 NEWS KURT SANSONE THE doctors' union has declared an industrial dis- pute following the removal of a consultant from the COVID response team. The Medical Association of Malta has asked Health Minister Chris Fearne for an urgent meet- ing ahead of planned industrial action that is to start on Thursday. The union warned that indus- trial action will escalate from Monday. The controversy revolves around the removal of public health consultant Kenneth Grech from the COVID response team that happened over the weekend. Grech had given advice for schools to postpone their physical reopening given a post-Christmas surge in COVID-19 infections. The advice, dismissed by government, led to a two-day strike by the Malta Union of Teachers last week. Grech was subsequently transferred out of the response team and back to his previous role work- ing on the national health strategy. The ministry yesterday insisted this was needed so as not to lose EU funds and denied Grech's redeployment was in any way linked to the school strike. However, MAM has insisted otherwise. "The transfer of a public health consultant for expressing his professional judgement is unac- ceptable. Doctors must be free to express their professional opinion without intimidation or fear of retribution," the union said in its letter to the health permanent secretary yesterday night. "It is the ethical duty of each doctor to give the best possible medical advice. The removal of this consultant is of concern to all professionals in all grades," MAM said, giving notice of industrial ac- tion. Doctors declare industrial dispute over consultant's removal from COVID response team Government redeployed the head of the COVID-19 response team Kenneth Grech following his advice to schools to exercise caution on reopening (Photo: Malta Association of Public Health Medicine/Facebook) 240 new cases of COV- ID-19 were registered on Tuesday, the health minis- try has said. 80 new recoveries were registered, bringing the number of active cases to 2,519. Total recoveries stand at 12,016 while total cases registered stand at 14,769. One death was registered on Tuesday, bringing the total number of deaths to 234. 3,354 swab tests were car- ried out in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of swabs to 550,267. Yesterday's cases are still being investigated, but from yesterday's cases, 42 cases were family members of previously known cases, 11 were contacts of pos- itive work colleagues, six were from direct contact with other positive cases and 11 were from social gatherings. COVID-19: 240 new cases, one death and 80 recoveries PRIME Minister Robert Abela remains stubborn and has yet to admit he was wrong to remove COVID consultant Kenneth Grech despite widespread criti- cism of the decision, Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech said. Taking to social media Grech lambasted the Prime Minister, saying that by remaining stub- born he was willing to face in- dustrial action by doctors and preventing professionals from doing their work. The Medical Association of Malta gave notice of industrial action following the govern- ment's decision to redeploy Kenneth Grech after he advised schools to be cautious when re- opening after the Christmas hol- idays. "He's telling you - if you're a parent don't interfere because he just knows. If you are a teach- er, do not interfere because he only knows. If you are a nurse, do not interfere because he on- ly knows. Now even if you are a medical consultant, he is telling you not to interfere because he only knows," Grech said. On Tuesday morning, MAM declared an industrial dispute over the consultant's remov- al from the COVID response team. MAM requested an urgent meeting with Health Minister Chris Fearne ahead of planned industrial action that is to start on Thursday. "As soon as possible, the Prime Minister should reverse his de- cision and put Kenneth Grech back on the COVID response team," the PN leader said. The decision to remove Grech was condemned by MAM, the Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives, the Malta Union of Teachers, Union of Profession- al Educators and various other organisations, including those representing independent and Church schools. Health Minister Chris Fearne and the Prime Minister yester- day denied the redeployment was linked to the school strike, insisting the consultant's servic- es were required elsewhere in the health service. Bernard Grech calls out Abela's 'stubbornness' over COVID doctor's removal Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech says the Prime Minister is willing to face industrial action by doctors by refusing to retract decision to redeploy COVID response team consultant Kenneth Grech