The government is eying a timeline of between five and seven years for the completion of a new hospital in Gozo, Health Minister Joe Etienne Abela said in parliament on Wednesday.

"Much depends on whether there are delays in the adjudication of tenders, and any appeals, the minister told Adrian Delia, shadow minister for health, in reply to a parliamentary question.  

Plans for the new hospital were announced by the government in May, but no timelines had been given at the time. The project will be handled directly by the government. 

Abela had said that Gozo would have a modern and comprehensive medical infrastructure for the provision of a high-quality healthcare service.

The new hospital is projected to have around 400 beds.

The Nationalist Party had subsequently pointed out that a new hospital for Gozo was meant to be built by Steward Healthcare, and should have already been completed.

A court annulled the government's agreement with Vitals/Steward Healthcare last year after finding fraud.