Malta drops in healthcare ranking

Edward Zammit

Sep 28th 2009, 19:06

As regards healthcare workers, we definitely rank among the best in the world. There are the usual black sheep of course, but who doesn't have them. We are respected and highly esteemed wherever we go and practice. With a better system, less red tape and better funding (and better use of funds), we would top the charts. Besides, I doubt the reliability of the EHCI.

Edward Zammit

Sep 28th 2009, 18:58

@Chev Chris Galea
"doctors and people in the health sector are the most highly paid workers in the country "
Highest paid, my backside!! The sweeping statement of sweeping statement. Admittedly, the highest paid health workers earn well above average, but there are better paid jobs I can assure you. The other health workers need overtime.
P.S. For the umpteenth time, the industrial action taken recently by doctors, was not about money, but work conditions (except money in this case).

Jeff Mead ENGLISH

Sep 28th 2009, 18:58

All these negative comments below, i still say We have the Best System ever in the UK our National health service is one of the finest in the world, and this is why most countryman of mine living in Malta and Gozo chose to travel back home for treatment as oppose to having medical care in Malta, they are in good hands and our doctors back home are among the finest and i daresay one reason why most doctors in Malta qualify in Britian, besides they are better paid in UK then in Malta.

DVella

Sep 28th 2009, 17:34

Ahem . . . . maybe an important point is being overlooked here . . . HOW MANY OF THOSE COUNTRIES ASSESSED HAVE A COMPLETELY FREE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM? It is very easy to provide State of the Art Hospitals and Healthcare if you are allowed to charge patients a small fortune for practically anything they require . . . ask the Americans about that . . . if on the other hand, everything is TOTALLY free . . . how many of you whiners down below would consent to a hefty rise in the National Insurance rates . . . . or the introduction of mandatory Health Insurance? Put your money where your mouth is gentlemen . . . !

Simon Borg

Sep 28th 2009, 16:23

And to think the WHO had us in 5th place less than a decade ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHO's_ranking_of_health_care_systems

Edward Zammit

Sep 28th 2009, 15:21

It is another case of "iggudikawna fuq dak li naghmlu u mhux fuq dak li nghidu"...All those millions of Euros pumped out for a "state-of-the-art" hospital and then we drop in the level of health care ranking. What a joke. By the way, People do not need any European Health Consumer Index to tell us about the mediocrity of Service they're receiving. Wonder what the Government has to say about this?

Mv.J.Hartmann

Sep 28th 2009, 15:13

To be honest i don't think these figures are correct, for instance we are from the Netherlands and agree yes in Holland we have one of the best system in the whole world i totally agree 100% but also Malta is as far as we are concerned a good country for its health system ok not as good or as advanced or as efficient as ours. We visit the islands very often and twice i landed in the local hospice in Malta and in Gozo, and i swear the people, the doctors and the auxiliaries were just fantastic we just couldn't fault them whatsoever., they looked after me and the treatment i received was just great and i appreciate all their friendliness and care they gave me and my husband, so who ever put this report together should first get first hand reports from the people who actually had the experience of a Maltese local hospice, we also lived in the UK* now they have a problem especially the waiting list is beyond words and are no where as good as ours in Holland and ofcourse Malta and Gozo. Others might have a different view ofcourse! J.Hartmann NL>

E. Azzopardi

Sep 28th 2009, 14:34

Seriously, can someone explain to me this position, almost being the last?
With our state of the art hospital and this and that and all the hoo ha about our health system, why are we in this position?
Reasoning from the other end, the countries before us must really have a fantastic health system. The country in the first position must have a PERFECT system if ours is so good.!!

Deo Micallef

Sep 28th 2009, 14:23

@ Chris Galea
"doctors and people in the health sector are the most highly paid workers in the country "

You really do not know reality, go and check the facts before writing!!

a de Barro

Sep 28th 2009, 13:34

I think Malta should be at the bottom of the list.. its ranking lowering is of no surprise! I fractured my leg in Gozo last Wednesday and there were no crutches available after 2pm because the stores were closed!!You can only break your leg in the morning =hahaWhen i went back the next day to see the Orthopedic surgeon, I was told there were no crutches available!! I had to go and buy my own! to add insult to injury, when i went for to see the surgeon(with no crutches yet available) i had to play musical wheelchair as they only have one wheelchair in emergency.. so i was put on a chair each time they needed it and then reput onto the wheelchair again!! The corridors o the hospitals are like the roads of Gozo .. full of holes...what a disgusting shame the hospital has become.Shame on the Hospital administration and Gozo Ministry.

Chev Chris Galea

Sep 28th 2009, 13:31

There are arguments for and against. The healthcare ranking can vary from one year and another. In our case one still has to put into consideration that Malta has one of the MOST MODERN hospitals in Europe and in many other continents.

There may still be staff generated problems. Our health system has often been plagued by industrial actions from several trade unions and this is surely ANNOYING the patient. Sometimes it is not clear why industrial actions are going on and they also ignore the fact that doctors and people in the health sector are the most highly paid workers in the country surpassing that of workers in high risk conditions like firemen, security officers, welders and workers in the construction industry.

The full use of all operation theatres at Mater Dei and Pharmacies should also be given top priority. The acquisition of a new Air Ambulance Helicopter (HEMS), an AUTONOMOUS Ambulance Service with more ambulances for Malta and Gozo should also be given the GO AHEAD. However this does NOT mean that an Outpatient Ambulance should not pick 2 or 3 outpatients from 1 district during same trip as somebody made a whole story about.

Christian Sciberras

Sep 28th 2009, 13:10

Shame. Weird how huge countries took better points over a tiny island.

J. Fiorentino

Sep 28th 2009, 12:12

Readers should go to the Opinion section in today's paper and refer to "hospitalised" in the On the dot section. These are some of the reasons that push us back.