Recently I had to go to Mater Dei for three days of care. I was hosted in the ‘Hospitality Ward’ which consisted of a long hall, actually resembling a long corridor, which housed mixed couples of elderly people next to each other.

The nurses, staff and cleaning personnel were extremely professional and first class at their job.

What was wrong in my eyes was that both sexes were next to each other without any division of any sort, with one elderly gentleman having only a nappy which was being exposed for one and all to see.

Mentally I imagined when this person was in good health how he would recollect himself being exposed to one and all in that condition and state.

This is not right for the dignity of that person or several others who were in such a bad state that they couldn’t cope by themselves and were exposed to all and sundry.

I am not referring to the care and dedication of the nursing staff and auxiliary workers, which as I said previously was excellent, but only that persons hosted in these sections of Mater Dei should have their dignity enhanced even during what might be their last days on earth.

Priority Ferry Boarding

Gozitan patients at the General Gozo Hospital and Mater Dei are provided transportation from Hospitals to Malta and Gozo respectively. This is an excellent and much appreciated transport service for all Gozitan patients.

Ambulances or the alternative coaches which carry patients to their respective destinations via Cirkewwa or Mgarr were always given priority in boarding the Gozo Channel Ferries.

It would appear that recently these emergency transportations have the boarding of the ambulances or coaches held back because of their height and are being kept from boarding due to the upper hoistable car deck of the vessel not being able to be lowered so that small cars can be loaded.

This means that these vital hospital vehicles have to wait for the Gaudos vessel to board or wait till the passenger cars are not too numerous for them to be loaded on board.

On occasions when returning from the Malta hospital to Cirkewwa patients have actually had to leave their transport and travel by themselves on the ferries, no matter how sick or disabled they may be.

Just imagine the hardship of handicapped or sick patients having to travel by themselves to cross to Gozo on foot! How will they possibly get home by themselves?

Blood transfusions have also had to be offloaded from the ambulance and picked up from Mgarr as the vehicle was not able to be loaded on board.

On the M.V. Nikolas these same hospital vehicles are being loaded onto the sides of the ferry behind heavy trucks and therefore prevented from being able to overtake these heavy vehicles on the way to the Gozo Hospital.

Conflicting Regulations

These recent new regulations by Gozo Channel conflict quite strongly with Maltese Law, as even on our national roads other vehicles have to stop and give way to ambulances, police cars, fire engines or other emergency vehicles.

But it appears that these laws are not being adhered to by Gozo Channel when transporting ambulances or hospital coaches carrying Gozitan patients.

Ridiculous and Dangerous

This situation is hazardous to Gozitan Hospital Patients travelling to and from hospitals, their care should be foremost for one and all, including these governmental run transportations.

It is high time for urgent remedial action to be taken by all those concerned.

Lino DeBono

Photos: Top – file photo and below file photo Gozo News/Alain Salvary

Permalink: Dignity and Priority, by Lino DeBono