It has been quite an interesting few weeks of campaigning by the political parties. One of the dominant political issues continues to be healthcare. Should it stay free for all? How can we decrease the waiting lists and the problem of medicines out of stock?

These questions have been and always will be political targets because there is no easy solution. Medical care in Malta is not truly free because it is being paid for by the taxpayers.

It is a fact that the waiting lists for surgical procedures, scans, appointments, etc. are ridiculously long and unacceptable. The challenges: space; a main hospital that is too small for the country; not enough operating theatres; equipment; not enough CT scanners and MRI machines; personnel; doctors and nurses who are overworked and underpaid.

A surgeon might make €10 for a particular surgery at Mater Dei Hospital and €500 for the same surgery in a private clinic. It is quite understandable why the surgeon would encourage patients to go privately and avoid the hospital. There is absolutely no incentive for the surgeon to work harder and get more patients in.

The only way to solve this problem is to invest more money in the hospital and equipment.

Doctors should be compensated fairly, based on their performance. This would motivate providers to work harder and move things along. It would also mean that doctors are held accountable for their work and the results. If the Maltese wish to have better healthcare services, then they need to be ready to pay for it through their taxes.