The Opposition spokesman for health, Michael Farrugia, said today that a government decision to build a new bunker for a linear accelerator at Boffa Hospital was a demonstration of government incompetence and lack of strategy.

Dr Farrugia said the Oncology Department, where the linear accelerator is used, was originally meant to be transferred to Zammit Clapp Hospital. Then the government decided to build a new Oncology Centre at Mater Dei Hospital.

But delays in that project meant that the linear accelerator was now in 'extended life'.

While the building of the new centre at Mater Dei still had to start, the government would have to build a new €2.8m bunker for new equipment at Boffa Hospital, despite the plans to retire it, he said.

DENTISTRY SERVICES

Dr Farrugia said it also appeared that the government would close dentistry services at health centres and centralise the service at Mater Dei. He said the PL disagreed with this decision, which would be an inconvenience to the people and also lengthen the waiting lists at the hospital.

Dr Farrugia said that since the move was being described as temporary, until health centres were refurbished, the governemnt should declare a timetable within which services at health centres would be restored.