Malta plans to address its nurse shortage problem by bringing over African nurses until they specialise in their field, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced yesterday.

Interviewed on Insights yesterday, Fearne said that discussions are underway with a few African countries over a scheme that will see them send qualified nurses to Malta for a period of time.

He refused to name the countries.

These nurses will work in Malta while they undergo training to specialise in their field, after which they will return home and be replaced by a new batch.

“We will provide a service to Maltese patients, who require nurses on a basic level, and to the citizens of these third countries by training their nurses,” Fearne said. “That is the ethical and proper way to act on a global level, which is why the World Health Organisation views Malta as an ideal model. Hopefully other counties will follow in our footsteps.”