The dispensing of medicine at Mater Dei hospital will, as from 2021, be in the hands of a robotic system installed in every ward, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Fearne said the island's health system remained among the best in the world because the government was not afraid to innovate, insisting that it always went for the most "cutting edge" technology.

The new system, he said, will first be rolled out at Mater Dei Hospital, with other hospitals and health centres to be included later.

Such a system not only made handing out medicine easier, with this being delivered to the wards within minutes of a request, but it will also cut down the risk of human error, he said.

Software that will be installed as part of the project will also help those working in the hospital determine whether the prescribed medication is the right one for the patient.

A pilot project will be carried out in 2020, the minister said, with the entire system fully functioning by 2021.

Apart from the systems at the hospital, there will also be two robots at the Central Procurement and Supplies Unit. A team of experts has also been set up, the minister said.