45,492 operations were performed at Mater Dei Hospital last year, an increase of 1,745 over the previous year and up by more than 12,000 from the last full year at St Luke's Hospital.

The figures were given by Health Minister Joseph Cassar during a visit to the National Blood Transfusion Service.

He thanked the health-care professionals and the hospital management for having made the increase possible.

The minister pointed out that many other operations were performed in private hospitals and paid for by the government.

He also paid tribute to the Blood Transfusion Service for having kept up with the increased demand placed by the higher number of operations and thanked blood donors in particular.

Dr Alex Aquilina, who heads the National Blood Transfusion Centre, also thanked donors and the staff at the service.