A business friendly contact desk will be set up within the Health Ministry to promote contacts with the business community for ventures within the health sector.

This was announced this morning by Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia who said that the desk, that will be up and running from June 1, will advise Government on policy.

The desk will be a contact point that will reach out and facilitate dialogue with all private sector health service providers – ranging from self employed health operators to private clinics and hospitals. It can be contacted at partners.health@gov.mt .

The objectives will be to work with private health sector stakeholders who will contribute towards developing public and private health services that will lay a strong basis on which to build a sustainable health system at a national level.

It will also aim to promote health tourism, reduce bureaucracy, seek innovative forms of health service delivery and attract international health care providers.

Dr Farrugia also said that, in the future, he will be announcing other similar initiatives such as improved customer care facilities for the public.

He also planned to hold meetings with the media, every two months, to brief them on particular health-related subjects to ensure that the public was kept informed.