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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 DECEMBER 2024
NEWS
THE Ministry of Health has con-
firmed that a public consultation
for the long-overdue Sexual
Health Strategy will be launched
in December. The current poli-
cy, which was developed more
than a decade ago in 2010, has
not been updated to reflect
the evolving realities of sexual
health and modern medical ad-
vancements.
The existing strategy has
faced mounting criticism for
being outdated, with calls from
various health professionals
and advocacy groups urging
the government to develop a
policy that addresses contem-
porary challenges.
Despite the government's
repeated promises to update
the strategy, the process has
been slow. Hopes for an up-
date were dealt a blow in 2021
when a proposed revision was
scrapped after concerns were
raised over its reliance on stud-
ies that were over 10 years old,
rendering it inadequate for ad-
dressing current needs.
On Wednesday, the Ministry
of Health confirmed to Malt-
aToday that the long-awaited
consultation will finally take
place this December. The an-
nouncement comes just days
after Malta held its first-ev-
er rally for World AIDS Day,
underscoring the importance
of timely and effective sexual
health policies.
Checkpoint Malta, a leading
HIV advocacy group, stressed
that without an updated policy,
Malta risks falling behind in the
global effort to combat sexually
transmitted infections (STIs),
promote safe sexual practices,
and provide vital resources for
those in need of support.
Long-awaited sexual health strategy to
open for public consultation in December
LAURA CALLEJA
lcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt
Health Ministry
confirms public
consultation on
Malta's outdated
Sexual Health
Strategy to be
launched this
month
