Malta government finally supports medical tourism

After years of talking and several failed attempts, the Maltese government has established a way for the disparate health and medical tourism providers on the island to work better together. The ministry for health has set up a business friendly section for private healthcare providers to promote contacts with the business community for ventures within the health sector and to help health tourism.

After years of talking and several failed attempts, the Maltese government has established a way for the disparate health and medical tourism providers on the island to work better together.

The ministry for health has set up a business friendly section for private healthcare providers to promote contacts with the business community for ventures within the health sector and to help health tourism.

All private sector health services will be able to use this new project from self-employed health operators to private clinics and hospitals. It will offer advice on the development of partnerships between the public and the private health services.

Health minister Godfrey Farrugia explains,” It will serve as a contact point, and work with private health sector stakeholders to develop public and private health services for a sustainable health system on a national level.”

This section works with the ministry for tourism and ministry for enterprise to promote health and medical tourism, by acting as a catalyst for private health care providers who seek opportunities in health tourism.

Traditionally Malta has relied on tourism for a living, with most tourists coming from Italy and the UK, but with both countries having economic problems, this traditional market is struggling .Two other important markets, Libya and Egypt, also have problems; while attempts to attract Americans have not done well. The island has pinned much faith on attracting Russian tourists.

The government’s u-turn to support health and medical tourism, even in a very limited way, is probably as much to do with the struggles of the local tourism trade as any sudden interest in promoting medical tourism.