The Medical Association of Malta has urged the government to put on hold all negotiations on the sale of the government's hospitals concession and for payments to Vitals Global Healthcare to be frozen until an investigation is carried by the National Audit Office.

The call was made amid reports that VGH has sold its concession to run St Luke's, Karin Grech and Gozo hospitals to Steward Healthcare - after missing several key targets in its contract with the government. 

The MAM appealed to the Audit Office to give top priority to this investigation as it involves a €2 billion contract out of taxpayers money.

A similar appeal was made by the Nationalist Party yesterday.

Addressing a press conference, MAM's Secretary General, Martin Balzan, called the contract signed by the government  “fishy” and said many issues and deals looked dubious and needed to be investigated.

He said that so far VGH had made no investment except for excavation in Gozo and cosmetic work on the facade of St Luke’s. He asked what had become of the €34 million which the government has passed to VGH in 2017.

He asked why the government had given its consent for the sale.

"The MAM wants the government to hold all discussions and start the process to reverse this ‘dubious ‘ contract," he said.

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