Mintoff back in hospital - February 13, 2011

Former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff was readmitted to hospital today.

The former Labour leader, 94, had left hospital just last week after a lengthy stay where he was treated for heart problems and aspiration pneumonia, an infection of the lungs caused by inhaling foreign materials, usually food or liquids, into the lungs.

His current condition was described by a hospital spokesman as stable. The spokesman denied earlier reports that Mr Mintoff had suffered a stroke.

The former fiery premier has been in and out of hospital these past months.

On September 16, Mr Mintoff was admitted to Mater Dei’s intensive care unit in a confused state, after having suffered a light stroke.

After spending a week in intensive care, he was moved to a medical ward and discharged from hospital a week later, only to be re-admitted after two months to the Coronary Care Unit with heart failure and dehydration.

Mr Mintoff served as a Prime Minister twice between 1955 and 1958, when Malta was still a British colony, and again, post-Independence, from 1971 to 1984.

Mr Mintoff was an MP for over 50 years until 1998.