Labour says Mater Dei Hospital is missing pillows, apart from medicine being out of stock, but the Health Ministry insists the opposition is “dreaming”.

There are 200 spare pillows and more are kept in the stores of each hospital

Karl Farrugia, who heads the procurement section, said his department ensured that everyday supplies were readily available. He denied there was a shortage of pillows.

Speaking at a store of the Health Department, Joe Caruana, the hospital’s CEO, said that in that particular warehouse alone there were 200 spare pillows and more were kept in the stores of each hospital.

The Labour Party’s health spokesman, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said that even patients suffering from serious conditions were complaining that instead of pillows they were given sheets and pyjamas to rest their heads on.

Mr Caruana said this was the latest in a string of attacks on the operations of the hospital. The staff, he said, did their best for the patients and he considered Ms Coleiro Preca’s comments unfair on the workers, especially nursing officers responsible for the wards.

Although Health Minister Joe Cassar had “found” €7.3 million extra in his ministry’s vote, basic needs were lacking, Ms Coleiro Preca said.

But the ministry said investment in the sector had increased by €29 million and Labour was only scaring patients.