The government insisted in an official statement today that public health services will remain free of charge.

It also denied a claim made by the GWU that the Cabinet had discussed a proposal for payments to be introduced for medical services.

The Cabinet, it said, had discussed a report on strengthening the relationship between family doctors and their patients, such as by giving the GPs access to hospital medical records. This would benefit patients since doctors would have access to the results of tests which patients take free of charge in state hospitals.

The government disagreed with a proposal made in the report for health centres to close. It felt the health centres should remain open in order to continue to provide their services for free for those most in need.

The government said it was committed to further improving primary health care given in localities and in health centres.

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