Villa Messina, a care home for the elderly in Rabat, has completed a €4 million refurbishment project which included the building of new rooms and installation of new facilities.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was the guest of honour at a ceremony to celebrate the conclusion of the project by Care Malta.

He hailed the project, saying it was a signal of how the private sector was going beyond the standards set by the government. He said the government was committed to continuing its partnership with the private sector to accommodate more elderly people. The government's waiting list for admission to care homes is currently 1,600, down from 2,000 in 2013. 

He pointed out that the government has raised bed capacity in its own care homes by 720 since 2013 and another 150 beds are being added at St Vincent de Paul home. 

Nazzareno Vassallo, chairman of the Vassallo Group, of which Care Malta forms part, said there are plans for extensive works at the government-owned care homes in Zejtun and Cospicua, which are managed by Care Malta. 

Villa Messina opened its doors in August 1996.

The newly completed project included replacement of the electrical and water systems, lifts furniture and bathrooms and the setting up of a new multi-purpose hall, chapel, dining room and a high dependency area.

Bed capacity has been raised by 30 to 200. 145 of the residents were assigned by the Department for Care of the Elderly while a further 56 are private.