Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542674
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 JANUARY 2026 NEWS LAURA CALLEJA lcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt Emergency contraception still not available for free PROVIDING the morning-af- ter pill for free was a key pro- posal in the National Sexual Health Strategy but more than a year later it remains unavail- able. Emergency contraception has yet to be introduced on the national medicines formu- lary, awaiting the creation of a steering group to determine the strategy's priorities. The updated strategy was first launched for public con- sultation in December 2024, marking the first revision of the country's sexual health framework since 2010. NGOs and stakeholders welcomed the move at the time, warning that outdated policy was leav- ing vulnerable groups without adequate protection or access to essential services. Among the central proposals outlined in the document was the introduction of the morn- ing-after pill (MAP) into the national formulary list. How- ever, as of early 2026, the med- ication remains unavailable through public channels, draw- ing criticism from advocates who argue that delays are con- tinuing to put women at risk. A Health Ministry spokes- person told MaltaToday that feedback from the consultation process was "voluminous" and has been analysed, with com- ments incorporated into the final version of the strategy. The spokesperson said the fi- nal document, covering a five- year period from 2025 to 2030, is expected to be presented to Cabinet shortly for endorse- ment before being published. While the strategy itself has not yet been formally adopted, the ministry said the imple- mentation of some measures is already underway. These include a wider entitlement to free post-exposure prophylax- is (PEP) and the introduction of state-funded pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for those at risk of contracting HIV. Other initiatives related to service reorganisation, pro- fessional training and sexual health awareness campaigns have also begun or are in the pipeline. However, it is only once the final document is published that an "implementation steer- ing group" will be set up to pri- oritise the measures outlined in the strategy and create a timeline for their rollout with- in the five-year framework. The ministry noted that the morning-after pill is currently provided free of charge only in cases of sexual assault through Mater Dei Hospital. Introduce MAP without delay Nationalist MP Ian Vassallo Hagi said his party was in fa- vour of MAP being introduced without further delay. "We are in favour of it being introduced as soon as possible. We are in favour of contracep- tion being readily available," he said. "As a party we are against abortion, so any forms of con- traception that would mitigate the need for an abortion, we are in favour of. It should be introduced without delay." Labour MP Rosianne Cuta- jar said that "whilst it is good to see the ministry integrating the morning-after pill into a comprehensive National Sexu- al Health Strategy, this is long overdue, and women have been waiting far too long for it." She stressed that the process to prioritise measures must not create unnecessary de- lays. "The morning-after pill has been under discussion for years, and women deserve clar- ity, defined timelines, and con- crete action," she added. Cutajar said that, as a mem- ber of parliament's Health Committee, she is focused on decisions guided by medical evidence, accessibility, and pa- tients' needs. "I strongly sup- port the inclusion of the morn- ing-after pill in the national formulary. All forms of con- traception must be accessible to reduce the incidence of ter- minations, and contraception should be widely available as a fundamental form of preven- tive healthcare," she said. Access continues to be an issue Healthcare professionals working directly with patients seeking emergency contra- ception say the lack of access is having real-world conse- quences. Natalie Psaila Stabile, a medical doctor, said she re- ceives between three and four calls every week from people trying to obtain the morn- ing-after pill, often facing ob- stacles due to age restrictions or cost. "In particular, we're see- ing cases of people under the age of 16," she said. "We are against there being an age lim- it when it comes to buying the morning-after pill. From the moment a person is able to conceive, they should have ac- cess to it." When the MAP was intro- duced in 2016, it was restrict- ed to individuals aged 16 and over. Psaila Stabile described the situation as "ridiculous", arguing that current barriers discourage responsible behav- iour. "You have girls who are trying to do the right thing and be responsible, but they don't have access. I would much rather they come to us, have access to the morning-after pill, and then afterwards we have a discussion regarding sexual health." Psaila Stabile called for con- crete timelines on when MAP will finally become available through the national health system. Left to right: Ian Vassallo Hagi, Natalie Psaila Stabile and Rosianne Cutajar