Health reform breaks electoral promise

The recent reform in the health sector announced by Minister John Dalli breaks another solemn promise made by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in his party's electoral manifesto for the 2008 general election.

Page 49 of the electoral programme includes the following promise: "With the PN in government, the Maltese people know that when one needs them, when one is ill, health services are there. And they are free." (my italics)

Once the new reform measures come into effect, patients will have to go to their own private doctor, with whom they are registered, who may then refer them to a consultant at Mater Dei.

For this service, which at present is available free of charge at health centres, patients will have to pay the private doctor 'of their choice'.

While, at present, patients who are entitled to free medicine can go to a doctor at the health centre for their prescriptions, under the reform they will have to go to their own doctor.

And, again, they will have to pay the doctor's fee.

The above is a sample of what could be in store once the reform is implemented. This is why I find the 'information' about this reform, being broadcast continuously in the media, sickening.

The fact that those who may require a health service would have to pay a private doctor is not mentioned at all. Instead, we are told that 'the registration with the doctor of your choice is free of charge'.

Not one word about having to pay that same doctor each time you visit, to get a service that is currently free.

Remember the hullabaloo created by the PN when Alfred Sant had introduced the 50 cents tariff on free medicine prescriptions so as to cut waste of costly medicine by people who still collected their free medicine when they no longer needed it?

So much for the health service remaining 'free of charge', as promised by Dr Gonzi and his government.