Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1524298
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 JULY 2024 4 INTERVIEW Jo Etienne Abela: 'I cannot remain shackled by Vitals' THERE is a creeping frustration when I sit down with Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela and bring up the Vitals fiasco. According to doctors' chief Martin Balzan, 11 years were wasted running after a pub- lic-private partnership project that failed. Abela does acknowledge the Vitals-Stew- ard concession did not deliver but insists his only connection to the deal now is the ongoing international arbitration. Abela was only appointed health minister in January, having had nothing to do with the concession that was annulled by the court and now sees several people being charged with crimes, including corruption. "I am not saying that we must forget but I cannot be shackled by what happened every time I want to move forward and propose new strategies," he tells me. "I became re- sponsible for health in January 2024 and my job is to prepare the country for the next pandemic." Abela defends public-private partner- ships, which he says have long been adopt- ed in the healthcare sector. "Lessons have been learnt from Vitals; public-private partnerships should be solid commitments with people who have a track record in healthcare," he says. And the minister is not shying away from exploring public-private partnerships to ease the pressure on Mater Dei Hospital's Emergency Department. It is one initiative among several Abela has unveiled to ease the pressure on Mater Dei, boost bed space at the only acute general hospital, and uti- lise St Luke's and Karin Grech hospitals. Abela says Mater Dei's administration is being moved out and the space will lead to the creation of a new ward with around 50 beds that can start being used in the com- ing winter. He insists waiting times at the emergency are also dependent on having available beds in wards where patients requiring hospital- isation can be transferred. Eventually, outpatient services will be shifted to St Luke's hospital, increasing Mater Dei's capacity. But until the medium to long term plans come to fruition Abela wants to introduce two new policies at the Emergency Depart- ment where a patient would be seen imme- diately by a specialist who can determine the treatment plan, and follow through with it. In the seven months he has been health minister, Jo Etienne Abela has laid down new plans for bolstering the public health service amid growing pressure on the Emergency Department and Mater Dei. He sits down with Kurt Sansone to discuss the way forward, Vitals and the unorthodox arrangement of being minister while still practicing surgery.