Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542644
GozoToday is a weekly newspaper focused primarily on Gozo. It hopes to serve as a source of information on business, culture, entertainment and of course current affairs. Gozo has a special charm about it but it is also a bustling Island with an identity of its own. GozoToday is published every Friday and is available to numerous outlets in Gozo and on the ferries that carry so many visitors to Gozo from Malta and beyond. GozoToday MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 9016 ASSISTANT EDITOR: LAURA CALLEJA Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt 3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 16 JANUARY 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Abela said the new service is expected to ease the burden on patients and their families by providing care closer to home. The clinic is currently operat- ing once a month, with plans to increase the frequency of ses- sions depending on demand and available capacity. Health au- thorities said the initiative forms part of a wider strategy at Gozo General Hospital to strengthen and expand oncology and hae- matology services on the island. Minister Abela noted that the haematology clinic builds on recent investments in oncolo- gy services at the hospital, in- cluding the introduction of oral cancer therapies, the gradual ex- pansion of chemotherapy treat- ments administered locally, and the launch of a cold cap service in 2025. Future plans include the estab- lishment of an on-site aseptic unit, which would allow chemo- therapy to be prepared and ad- ministered at Gozo General Hospital. The government said the new service reflects its ongoing commitment to improving can- cer-related care in Gozo while reducing travel-related pres- sures on patients and their fam- ilies. 180 new haematology cases were registered in 2025 The clinic is currently operating once a month, with plans to increase the frequency of sessions depending on demand and available capacity A total of 340 babies were reg- istered in Gozo during 2025, while 338 deaths were also re- corded on the island, according to newly published figures from the Public Registry. Of the babies registered in Gozo, 184 were boys and 156 were girls. The most popular girls' names in Gozo were Ellie, Valentina and Mia, while for both Malta and Gozo the most common boys' names were No- ah, Luca and Matteo. For the fourth consecutive year, Ġanni and Luċija re- mained the most popular names using Maltese diacritical letters. The Gozo Public Registry also recorded 171 marriages during the year, along with five reg- istered cohabitations. No civil unions were registered in Gozo in 2025. In addition, a total of 6,157 birth, death and marriage certificates were issued in Gozo, together with 57 multilingual certificates and 38 certificates of free status. Across Malta and Gozo com- bined, a total of 4,368 births were registered in 2025, includ- ing 2,243 boys and 2,125 girls. Of these, 4,028 births were reg- istered in Malta, representing a decrease of 79 births compared to 2024. Nationwide deaths to- talled 4,176, with 3,838 record- ed in Malta and 338 in Gozo. Marriage registrations across both islands reached 2,240, with an increase noted in Malta compared to the previous year. One civil union was registered in Malta, while a total of 65 co- habitations were recorded na- tionwide. The figures also show in- creased demand for civil cer- tificates. In Malta, 76,357 birth, death and marriage certificates were issued during 2025, an increase of 2,593 over the pre- vious year, along with 1,543 multilingual certificates. Online certificate requests also rose, from 42,425 in 2024 to 44,460 in 2025. Identity Malta Agency chief executive Edric Zahra said this year's statistics include data from the Gozo Public Registry to provide a clearer and more complete demographic pic- ture. He highlighted the essen- tial role of the Public Registry throughout a person's life, from birth to death, and reaffirmed the agency's commitment to improving services through its digital strategy. Ellie, Valentina and Mia top girls names in Gozo in 2025 Of the babies registered in Gozo, 184 were boys and 156 were girls The most popular girls' names in Gozo were Ellie, Valentina and Mia, while for both Malta and Gozo the most common boys' names were Noah, Luca and Matteo