The government the afternoon denied a claim by the Opposition that Mater Dei Hospital has a shortage of pillows.

The claim was made in a statement this morning by the Labour spokesman for health, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.

"It is not only medicines which are out of stock, but even basic items such as pillows are in short supply," she said.

All this was happening when Health Minister Joseph Cassar had said that he was able to return €7.3m to the Finance Minister because they were considered as excess, she said.

Ms Coleiro Preca said that patients in different sections had complained that they were told that pillows were out of stock. They were given bedsheets or pyjamas to use as pillows instead.

All this, the Labour spokesman said, further confirmed the failure of GonziPN.

Rather than blaming everyone and anything, the government needed to tackle the problems of the health sector from its roots, Ms Coleiro-Preca said.

The government said that while the opposition could still not understand that the investment in health increased by €29 million to a total of 405.4 million and was trying to frighten patients with continuous attacks on the work of health professionals.

Such behaviour lacked political maturity and vision.