Doctors’ union withdraws demand for public hospitals privatisation deal to be cancelled

Doctors have withdrawn their demand that the privatization of St Luke's, Karin Grech and Gozo general hospitals be halted. “Martin Balzan, president of the Medical Association of Malta, said this morning that doctors had achieved their aim that ensures all present and future doctors involved in public-private partnerships will remain answerable to the government's chief medical officer. The union had gone on the warpath earlier this year after news broke that Vitals Global Healthcare—the company that was granted a concession to run three public hospitals—had sold its shareholding to American outfit, Steward Healthcare, less than two years into the deal.”