Malta’s Health Minister has reacted to concerns about price hikes for essential goods like medicine in Malta, saying authorities are well aware of them.

During a live interview on Lovin Malta’s #CovidCalls show, Chris Fearne explained how prices may fluctuate in an open market, but that Malta was doing much better than most other countries.

“We have noticed that there have been some price hikes – it’s the open market, there are supply and demand, and because the demand has gone up, some products have gone up too,” Fearne said.

“We have asked our partners in the business society to be responsible,” he continued, “and there has been a response, so, by and large, there haven’t been the price hikes we have seen in other countries, but having said that we are aware that some of the prices have gone up, and we are asking our prices in the business community to keep these reasonable and under control.”

His comments come as pharmacy industry experts say there are “no price hikes” in Malta and local importers face higher importation costs, as well as a tougher supply chain, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.