The Minister for Health and Active Ageing, Jo Etienne Abela on Monday announced the Masterplan that will lead to the development of a new hospital at Gozo General Hospital, the renovation and expansion of St Luke’s Hospital, and the renovation of Boffa Hospital.
The Government is continuing to advance with a long-term vision for the transformation of Gozo General Hospital into a modern and resilient healthcare campus that serves the needs of the people of Gozo and Malta, the Health Ministry said in a statement after a press conference on the topic.
“At the same time, the regeneration project for St Luke’s Hospital into a modern healthcare village will be one of the largest long-term investments in public healthcare infrastructure in Malta, spread over a period of 15 years,” the ministry said.
The Healthcare Campus Masterplan exercise has now been concluded, and the project is entering the next phase of design development and preparation of the necessary tenders for implementation.
The study analysed the demographics and future healthcare needs in Malta and Gozo, identified shortcomings in existing services, and defined future requirements.
Minister Jo Etienne Abela said that over recent months, technical studies, geotechnical investigations, healthcare service planning, and the drafting of the campus Masterplan had been carried out, all of which together are forming the foundation of this national project.
At the same time, preparatory works have already begun so that the northern part of the campus can be relocated to allow for the construction of the new hospital. Among the permanent infrastructure already at an advanced stage is the new helipad, which is expected to begin operating in the third quarter of this year, he said.
Abela explained that the aim of this project is to increase the hospital’s capacity, introduce new specialised services, strengthen emergency preparedness, reduce waiting times, and bring more quality healthcare closer to the Gozitan community.
“The Government remains committed to continuing to build healthcare systems that serve patients excellently. We are committed to ensuring that our systems are ready for the future,” Abela concluded.
Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg thanked the Ministry for Health, the administrations of these hospitals, and the local and international experts involved for wisely designing a feasible plan that recognises the circumstances of past years while looking ahead with determination to provide solutions for the future healthcare needs of patients in Malta and Gozo.
“I note with satisfaction that the first phases of this plan are already being implemented, both at Gozo Hospital and at St Luke’s and Karin Grech Hospital in Malta,” Borg said.
At the same time, it is even more important that year after year, the Government is continuing in a tangible way to strive to improve the quality of healthcare services received by patients from the hospitals we currently have, with better conditions for the highly dedicated workers in this sector, new equipment, and an ever-growing range of medical services, both in Malta and in Gozo,” Borg stated.
