New medical centre at Fortina

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, and Health Minister Louis Deguara yesterday launched the Fortina Medical Centre in Tigné for advanced rehabilitation.

The place of excellence - which offers a physiotherapy clinic, musculo-skeletal health screening and a thalassotherapy clinic - boasts a large range of state-of-the-art equipment used for the intensive rehabilitation of many different types of conditions.

Dr Deguara pointed out that it was this government that gave the necessary space to the private sector to embark on such ventures such as the provision of private health care.

"Malta is establishing itself as a Mediterranean centre where people can avail themselves of good quality health care and wellness. Today, Malta offers a wide range of services which combine alternative medicine with western medicine," he said.

Dr Zammit Dimech said the Government's policy was to dedicate more financial resources and marketing efforts to attract tourists in different segments. These included the wellness segment.

He said that the promotion of the wellness tourism segment might also apply for financial support from the European Union. Burgenland in Austria, which had Objective 1 status within the EU, qualified for funds for its wellness centres.

"Malta has got the necessary infrastructure to promote its exper-ience and facilities for all those foreigners who opt to travel to our country for treatment and other wellness related rehabilitation," he added.