A helipad at Mater Dei Hospital

Some two years ago, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne stated in parliament that the helipad at Mater Dei Hospital had to wait until the construction of a new paediatric hospital within the complex, which would include a helipad on its roof.

Months later, while work on a helipad at Mater Dei had begun, it had to be stopped due to structural issues. To date, it seems that the situation has remained the same, namely, that Malta’s leading hospital has no helipad.

A helipad should form an essential part of Mater Dei’s response to patients suffering life-threatening injuries or illnesses. It proves indispensable since, given the particular clinical needs of the patient, its proximity to the hospital’s emergency department affords rapid patient transfer and avoids the complication of a secondary transfer by land ambulance.

Patient transfer should be expedited in a manner that upholds both the dignity and security of the patient and the safety and security of staff tasked with completing the transfer of the patient to the emergency department, potentially in all weather conditions.

This prolonged shortcoming is definitely not serving the patient who is in need of prompt care and who may be suffering from trauma, cardia, or neurologi­cal conditions, all of which are highly time-critical.

I am no expert myself but I am sure that, somehow, a helipad somewhere within Mater Dei Hospital is doable.

Isn’t it time the government saw it fit to prioritise the matter?

MARK SAID – Msida

Why plant olive trees?

Olive from the trees fall out leaving a mess on pavements.

Could the government explain why it is hell-bent on planting olive trees all over the islands?

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve got nothing against trees per se. I love them and know they contribute tremendously to our well-being, birds included.

The problem with olive trees is the fact that bet­ween October and December the olives start to ripen and fall to the ground, making a mess along the pavement and street, and creating a slippery danger to those passing by.

It’s not as if there isn’t a wide range of trees (indigenous as well) to choose from.

Francis Sammut – Luqa