Health Minister Joseph Cassar this morning joined Labour leader Joseph Muscat on his campaign trail which took him to the Blood Bank in Guardamangia.

Ministry officials said that, according to protocol, when the leader of the opposition visits a government department, he has to be met by the minister responsible for that department and Dr Cassar did his duty and was there to meet Dr Muscat.

Dr Muscat and Dr Cassar toured the blood bank and visited the patients.

Dr Muscat asked about allowing homosexuals to give blood. He was adamant that blood donation criteria should not be based on sexual orientation.

Blood bank director Alex Aquilina said the policy of not allowing homosexuals to give blood was not based on sexual orientation but on risk. Studies, he said, showed that homosexuals posed a greater risk than heterosexuals.

Asked whether there were plans to incentivise blood and organ donations, both Dr Muscat and Dr Cassar said they did not think this was a good idea as it would turn into an organ and blood market to the detriment of the weakest in society.