Malta’s highest honour, the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika, has been bestowed upon Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci, virologist Chris Barbara and infectious disease expert Charles Mallia Azzopardi, for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Professor Stephen Montefort, the head of the university’s Department of Medicine and a respiratory disease consultant, was also granted this prestigious award, 

The four health experts were honoured by President George Vella during a ceremony in Valletta to mark Republic Day. 

Gauci delivered daily press briefings at the start of the pandemic, with her calm and reassuring tone and her repeated health advice earning her plaudits among the Maltese public. Meanwhile, Barbara and Mallia Azzopardi were on the frontline of Mater Dei’s treatment of COVID-19 patients, while Montefort helped blood new doctors. 

Besides the four health experts, the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika was today also awarded to newly-appointed Gozitan cardinal Mario Grech, AFM Commander Jeffrey Curmi, maestro Paul Abela, Maltese literature professor Charles Briffa, artistic director Anthony Cassar Darien, former trade unionist James Henry Pearsall, Mons. Joe Vella Gauci, biology professors Carmelo Agius and Alan Deidun, theology professor Emmanuel Agius, film producers Elio Lombardi and Rebecca Cremona, former Maltese national team coach Ray Farrugia, and the members of the renowned Gozitan band The Tramps.

Tag someone who needs to know this