The government has signed a three-month agreement with St James' Hospital to provide medical cover for patients ahead of the Medical Association's directives which will effectively lead to the night-time closure of five heath centres from tomorrow.

The heath centres affected by the action are Rabat, Qormi, Cospicua, Paola, Gzira and Floriana, since MAM has directed doctors to report to other heath centres.

MAM issued directives after the government failed to accede to the association's call to concentrate human resources in fewer clinics as a short-term measure to ease the shortage of doctors.

Social Policy Minister John Dalli yesterday acknowledged that there was a shortage of doctors. But he said the crux of the matter was that doctors wanted to work evenings when the workload was lighter.

When the government came up with a plan to transfer the night service to the private sector until a more permanent solution was found, the doctors' union objected, Mr Dalli said.

Mr Dalli said MAM could not continue to decide which health centres should be open and how many people should work there.

"If MAM wants to manage the centres itself, it should employ and pay the doctors," he said.

The Cospicua, Qormi and Rabat health centres are currently open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. while the Gżira, Mosta, Floriana and Paola centres operate around the clock.

As from tomorrow, only the Mosta centre will open 24 hours a day while the rest will close at 5 p.m.

Mr Dalli refused to say how much the three-month contract with St James would cost the government.

However, he said the action would adversely affect patients and would also increase the strain on doctors working at Mater Dei Hospital's emergency department.