The new Vincent Moran Health Centre in Paola is expected to cater to around 130,000 people and will begin offering numerous services to the public in the “near future”, a government statement said on Friday. 

Prime Minister Robert Abela, along with Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela, and Foundation for Medical Services CEO Robert Xuereb visited the six-storey centre on Friday.

The centre was built with an investment of public funds and European funds. The new home is named after former health minister Vincent Moran, who died in 2018.

It was explained how the centre will provide different services, including operations performed by surgeons and specialists for patients who can return home shortly after the same operation. 

The centre will be combining many services under one roof and continue to reduce dependence on Mater Dei Hospital.

On his part, Abela said he noted how professionals and the public are increasingly embracing the government’s vision for the health sector by placing more emphasis on community services. 

 He said the centre will also provide mental health care services, physiotherapy, and consultations on heart disease, which are currently being provided at Mater Dei but will soon be provided in the Paola centre. Other services offered include dental care, with a dental facility. 

Abela stressed that community services remain the best tool for people to continue to live better and have a higher quality of life. 

“The investment we are making in every sector, including health, continues to support people in every life situation,” he said. 

On-site, there is also dedicated parking for workers’ vehicles, patients, and residents living in the vicinity of the Centre.