A lack of support for some health conditions is forcing patients to turn to private healthcare for treatment, Malta’s green party said on Saturday.  

Addressing a press conference in Valletta, ADPD chairperson Sandra Gauci said a lack of access to medicines and patchy support for some conditions meant patients had to resort to private care. 

Highlighting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) sufferers, Gauci said patients were unable to access some medications prescribed to them, causing them undue stress and delaying access to care.  

She said expired tenders and an incomplete list of medications were to blame and called the waiting time before diagnosis “unacceptable.” 

Turning to fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and long-term cases of COVID-19, Gauci asked what plans were in place to support those suffering with the conditions, which she described as having a “heavy impact” on patients’ mental and physical health.  

“We appeal for these invisible disabilities to be granted access to disability support in Malta. Mental health care should not come at an additional cost to the individual.” 

The greens think that while the impacts of shortcomings in healthcare are felt locally, they need to be tackled on a European level.  

ADPD deputy chairperson Mina Jack Tolu said that Greens elected to the European Parliament would ensure everyone had a right to healthcare and challenge what they said was a push towards private care services.  

“Under-investment, privatisation, and the neglect of preventative approaches put patients and health workers at risk, physically and mentally,” Tolu said. “We will push to eliminate health inequities and guarantee access to affordable medicines and treatment.”