An electric generator has still not been installed at Mt. Carmel Hospital, eight months after the Health Department committed itself to doing so, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said today.

"Such false statement disseminated to the media was only intended to ease the pressures of industrial actions organised by MUMN in September 2010 and to deviate the attention of the press from such a grave issue at that time," the union said.

Instead, it said, the hospital was using funds on the hosting of the Worker of the Year Award and the feast dedicated to the patron saint.

"For such events money is not an issue since fireworks, local singers, stage organisers, sound systems, lighting equipment and other expensive services are easily hired with no indication of any financial problems whatsoever. The irony of all this is that when there is a power failure in Mt. Carmel Hospital, the nurses and the patients are left in pitch darkness with essential treatment sometimes impossible to be administered in such circumstances," it added.

"To add insult to injury, small domestic emergency lights, which have very limited power duration, are the only lighting available in the wards which serve just the purpose to save face from a complete embarrassing situation to the Management of Mt. Carmel Hospital. This shows the lack of respect towards patient care and poor management."

The union added that the management had also not provided new uniforms and footwear for three years

It said it would be protesting and will be instructing the nurses not to participate in the two activities it had highlighted.