Wards at Mount Carmel Hospital were left in pitch darkness during Friday morning’s power outage as there is no backup generator at the hospital, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said in an open letter to the health minister, also sent to nurses and the media.

“Once again the nurses had to make use of candles and gas lamps to have some light,” the union said. It added that two patients fell because of the darkness and doctors had to be called in to see to their injuries.

The MUMN said it was worrying that the minister’s priority seemed to be the building of a new hospital.

The union said that it had been criticising the situation for years, including under the previous administration.

“Are you aware that the 100 acute beds in your new hospital are the equivalent of the 103 acute beds which Mt Carmel already possesses as acute beds?

“Are you aware that 100 acute beds are not even adequate in today’s current situation let alone in three, four years time or for the next 10 years?”

The MUMN said that contrary to what the minister had said, that only 101 patients needed psychiatric help, all 440 patients at the hospital were suffering from mental disorders with several relapses due to their illness.

The union requested an urgent meeting after which it would organising a rally to issue directives depending on the minister’s feedback.

“Acceptable time frames are expected…” the union warned.