Patients are facing lengthy delays for MRI and CT scans, with waiting times exceeding the periods stipulated in the patients' charter, the Health Minister said on Monday.
Jo Etienne Abela revealed in parliament that 158 patients were currently awaiting MRI appointments, while 55 were waiting for CT scans.
This issue was raised by PN MP Graziella Attard Previ, who pressed the Health Minister for answers regarding the waiting lists linked to MRIs, CT scans, knee replacements and cataracts.
“There are currently 158 people waiting for an MRI appointment, and they have been waiting longer than the period stipulated in the patients' charter.
"Various reasons can lead to this period being exceeded. I assure [Attard Previ] that every effort is made to ensure no delays occur in urgent cases.”
In a bid to address delays, the government has among others allocated an additional €2.1 million for MRI services, Abela said.
Every week, hospitals already performed 375 extra scans after normal operating hours but that will now be bumped up to 600, leading to 31,200 additional scans annually, he added.
Mater Dei Hospital currently operates three MRI machines around the clock, seven days a week. Gozo General Hospital has also introduced an MRI machine, with plans for more advanced equipment to be installed in both the Gozo Hospital and the St Vincent de Paul facility.
When it comes to CT scans, the government invested €400,000 to carry out 3,000 extra scans by the end of the year, he said. These scans are being performed outside regular hours at Mater Dei and the Gozo General hospitals.
Currently, around 150 CT scans are performed daily at Mater Dei, and 150 weekly in Gozo. Despite the backlog, the Health Minister assured that urgent cases were prioritised and handled within days.
Meanwhile, waiting times for knee replacements and cataract surgeries were also of concern.
More than 1,500 patients were on the waiting list for knee or hip replacements, with extra surgery sessions introduced at private hospitals and the Gozo General Hospital to reduce these delays.
Additionally, 2,500 cataract surgeries were planned at Mater Dei and Gozo hospitals in the coming weeks, which would clear the backlog of 367 patients waiting beyond the recommended time.