Unemployed newly qualified nurses protest outside Castille

Newly qualified nurses who have not yet been employed by the government yesterday protested in front of the Auberge de Castille in Valletta.

Holding placards with messages such as 'Finance takes priority over health' and 'Being stingy on health to spend on other things', the nurses stood behind Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) president Rudolph Cini while he voiced the union's concerns.

Apart from his concern that the lack of nurses would lead to patients not receiving optimum care, especially during the summer months when the number of patients increases, Mr Cini expressed concern that qualified nurses would leave the country and look for jobs abroad, leading to a brain drain.

He stressed that the issue revolved around lack of finances to employ the 28 newly qualified nurses, although the Health Division was trying to make it seem as if this was not the case.

"We are worried when we see money taking priority over health," he said. The union has made an effort to make the authorities rectify the situation. Last week MUMN general secretary Colin Galea wrote to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, asking for his personal intervention in the matter. Mr Galea explained that in September Health Minister Louis Deguara said there were 110 vacant posts for nurses, and 65 nurses were employed that month.

Mr Galea explained that 28 nurses recently qualified after their examination was postponed following a shortcoming on the part of the Education Division. He said that at a meeting with Health Division representatives the union was told the division had enough finances to pay the salaries of 13 nurses, but not of the other 15.

Mr Cini said the Health Division had never indicated that the nurses would not be employed. He said the fact that there was a lack of nurses was causing stress on existing staff, who were finding it difficult to take vacation leave.

The union yesterday handed a second letter to Dr Gonzi in which it requested an urgent meeting.