Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/335393
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 25 JUNE 2014 News 4 MATTHEW VELLA THE Maltese perception of their national healthcare system – free for all despite its burdensome cost – remains among the most positive across all EU states. A survey for the Eurobarometer found 94% of Maltese respondents were positive about the quality of healthcare in Malta. Although the majority of EU citi- zens (71%) say the overall quality of healthcare in their country is good, this masks wide differences between countries. There was lit- tle change since the last survey in 2009 when 70% said overall health- care quality in their country was good, and 28% said it was bad. But in general respondents in western and northern areas are the most positive about the qual- ity of healthcare in their country. Almost all respondents in Belgium (97%), Austria (96%), and Malta and Finland (both 94%) say overall healthcare quality in their country is good. At the other end of the scale only around a quarter of respondents in Romania (25%) and in Greece (26%) say healthcare quality in their country is good. There were some large shifts in opinion within countries since 2009's survey: a minority of re- spondents in Lithuania had said the overall quality of healthcare in their country was good (40%); but this proportion has increased by 25 percentage points to 65% in the current survey. Respondents in Hungary (+19), Portugal and Malta (both +13) are also now considerably more likely to be posi- tive about the overall quality of healthcare in their respective countries. Having well-trained medical staff is the most important criterion for high quality healthcare for respond- ents in 21 countries. This is par- ticularly the case for respondents in Sweden (69%), the Netherlands (66%), Malta (65%), and Germany and the UK (both 63%). In contrast just 34% of respondents in Poland and 35% of respondents in Slovakia say having well-trained medical staff is one of the most im- portant criteria. In both of these countries the highest proportion of respondents mention "treatment that works" (50% and 54%). Practically all Maltese say they are positive about healthcare quality Respondents in Malta now considerably more likely to be positive about the overall quality of healthcare in their respective countries THE Marsa incinerator has been inoperative for about two weeks following damage caused to the outer ring of the primary com- bustion chamber. According to Nationalist MP Charlo Bonnici, the incinerator has been switched off since 12 June. Environment Minister Leo Brincat said a malfunction devel- oped in the outer ring of the pri- mary combustion chamber due to high temperatures. The minister went on to point out that the Marsa incinerator was switched off 13 times be- tween 2012 and February 2013 for a total of 121 days. "The incinerator has been switched off and on almost on a regular basis ever since it was commissioned," Brincat said. Marsa incinerator temporarily switched off