Boffa Hospital staff who may have been exposed to cancer-causing asbestos have undergone medical check-ups and nobody has tested positive, as far as the health authorities could say.
Hospital medical superintendent Noel Fenech confirmed the medical tests were carried out on the staff but he did not have the results in hand when he addressed a press conference on Wednesday morning.
However, replying to questions later in the day, a Health Parliamentary Secretariat spokesman said: "None of the employees informed the management there were any medical problems with the tests."
Brian St John, CEO of the Foundation for Medical Services, said the asbestos fibres found in the hospital's boiler room and the underground service tunnels had been safely removed, following a risk assessment exercise.
Regular air sampling was carried out to make sure no asbestos fibres were released into the air, he said.
Last March, the Sunday Times had revealed a report drawn up by experts commissioned by the hospital, highlighting the grave danger posed by the deteriorating asbestos in the service duct.
The removal of asbestos forms part of an embellishment project, which will cost about €200,000, to keep the Floriana hospital in a good state for staff and patients before the new oncology centre at Mater Dei Hospital is up and running.
Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar, who visited the works yesterday, said the new centre should be ready in the beginning of 2013. The works include replacing the hot water piping system, which had deteriorated beyond repair, and installing big water heaters instead of the boiler. With the boiler inactive, the chimney is no longer used.