The Health Department said this afternoon that the GU Clinic was operating regularly.

Reacting to a statement earlier today by the Opposition’s health spokesman, the department said that patients were being given appointments according to the priority of their case with urgent cases being dealt with without delay.

The service was interrupted for a short period when the consultant in charge retired but a new consultant was engaged at the beginning of the month.

The department said it also issued a call for an additional specialised consultant.

In his statement, Opposition spokesman Claudio Grech called on the government to explain why the Clinic was not accepting appointments for new tests.

Mr Grech said the government should explain why, according to reports, such a sensitive function was being left without the necessary clinical administration and why continuity of service was not being ensured.

Mr Grech said that according to the reports, people requesting appointments related to HIV/AIDS and hepatitis were not being given an appointment.

Such a situation was not acceptable in a developed health system such as Malta’s and the government should act to address the problem without delay.

Such a shortcoming, Mr Grech said, contrasted greatly with the World Health Organisation directives and guidelines which considered tests and screening as the main means against the spread of such infections.

The clinic also had an important role in the counselling of patients and their relatives, a service which, it seemed, was being limited due to lack of resources.

The Nationalist Party appealed to the government not to allow the situation to deteriorate and to take immediate action for the service to again start being given at the desired level in a developed country.