The Labour Party has hit out at the government for the ever-growing waiting lists, which it said had more than doubled since the 2004 election.

The Health Ministry defended itself by citing the 22 per cent increase in the number of operations carried out at Mater Dei Hospital since migration from St Luke’s.

The Prime Minister, Labour said, had made an electoral promise of cutting waiting lists. However, the latest statistics revealed there were 19,500 people on the waiting lists last month, up from the 7,600 in 2004.

It said the government had allocated €4 million in 2010 towards the reduction of waiting lists but only €262,221 of that sum had been spent in the first nine months. And, next year, the allocation will be slashed to €2.3 million.

The Health Ministry said that as a result of higher investment in health, 27,898 operations had been carried out in the first eight months of the year, 4,940 more than in the same period of 2007.

“Next year, the government will invest more in the health sector,” the ministry said, pointing to the €333 million it plans to pump into the sector, a €13 million rise over last year.