A new fleet of ambulances will start being used by Mater Dei's emergency department in the coming days, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Thursday.
A total of 11 new ambulances will be added to the fleet.
"The new ambulances are custom-made for Malta. In recent weeks, a group of specialists was in Germany so that together with the manufacturers they could look closely at the equipment.
"The ambulances are now like mobile ITUs," the minister said, adding the vehicles are equipped with all the necessary equipment.
And whatever is happening in an ambulance is also monitored in the control room so that "even during those few minutes before reaching Mater Dei, the specialists can assess the situation at hand".
According to Fearne, around 100 calls for ambulances are received every day, amounting to more than 40,000 in a year.
Over 100 calls for an ambulance…more than 40,000 in a year.