Watch: WHO Director Says European States ‘Can Learn A Lot From Chris Fearne’
Malta’s Health Minister received major praise in the midst of his international peers during a recent meeting.
“Chris Fearne has been doing very, very well and we can learn a lot from him,” WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said at a meeting of the WHO Europe Regional Committee held in Tel Aviv, Israel.
With medical experts and government advisors from around the world present, Kluge wanted to send a positive signal to European health authorities about what’s been happening in Malta.
His praise was related to national health worker strategies, with Kluge emphasising that governments needed to take workers’ issues seriously and dedicate more resources to them. The meeting comes ahead of a pan-European report assessing Europe’s workforce strategies.
View this post on Instagram
Malta faces serious shortcomings in the health sector, with nearly 78 nurses resigning every year from the public health sector before even reaching retirement.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of nurses was felt across Malta and the globe. But that has not stopped the country from witnessing an exodus of nurses, the majority being foreign nationals, who have started leaving en masse due to issues in Malta, like rising costs and visa troubles.
In 2021, more than 120 nurses left their jobs at Mater Dei Hospital. And it’s not just the exodus – nurses have spoken out about being left under-resourced to handle certain wards within MDH. Maltese doctors have also spoken out about long hours on shift as some professionals are being asked to take on others’ duties.
Do you think Malta’s healthcare system is one to be followed by other European nations?
READ NEXT: New Plans Submitted For Demolition Of Iconic Palazzo Vincenti In St Julian's
