Government to cover all IVF medication expenses till June

Feb 14 2022

Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday that the government will be covering all medicine expenses incurred after January 2022 of couples undergoing IVF.

The government will be refunding expenses relating to IVF medication through a grant for all couples. The scheme is backdated to the 1st of January and will be in place until new medicine arrives in June this year.

Abela announced this during a political event in Tarxien, saying that the January period meant the start of another IVF cycle for prospective parents. He said that ‘these couples told us how important it was to see the legal changes needed for this opportunity to become parents in Malta. In the recent past, it was the norm to have to leave Malta for this opportunity.’

So far, IVF procedures at the public hospital are carried out for free, saving up to €15,000 in expenses. However, the hormone therapy which is needed before the IVF procedure is not free of charge. This could cost up to €3,000 for each cycle.

Abela said that despite the Maltese government providing more than other countries when it comes to the procedure, a lot of money is still spent on medicine. He revealed that he spoke to Health Minister Chris Fearne on the government procedure to buy IVF medicines, saying that it is a technical process that involve public procurement regulations.

‘It takes time. But for couples undergoing IVF we know that time is against them. They can’t afford to wait because of bureaucracy. Every day counts’ he said.

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Around 260 Maltese women sought British charity aid to get abortion

Feb 14 2022

Three years ago, Abortion Support Network extended its services to Malta. Since then, a total of 269 people from Malta were assisted by the UK-based charity to get an abortion. The charity itself does not carry out abortions but helps with the dissemination of information, logistics and financial support for those who wish to undergo the procedure.

ASN provided around €15,122 in grants to 269 people from Malta since 2019, with the practice remaining completely criminalised in Malta, the only EU country to have this blanket ban. ASN itself supported its clients in accessing safe abortion pills and even arranging second-trimester abortions in clinics and hospitals in other European countries. The services were extended to Malta on the 14th of February 2019.

ASN founder Mara Clarke said that over the last three years, they have heard from hundreds of people in Malta, expressing outrage at the fact that they are needed due to abortion being criminalised. They were however pleased to support those who needed it in equal measures. ASN also praised the Family Planning Advisory Service (FPAS), which was set up by Maltese NGOs to offer information on sexual and reproductive health and even awareness of online providers of medical abortion pills.

The service started in August 2020, helping over 797 people from Malta asking for help or information on sexual and reproductive health. It said that 40% of people who contacted it decided to have an abortion and 10% obtained abortion pills and asked about the process.

Meanwhile, Women on Web, a popular provider of abortion pills, said they received 509 requests for abortion care from people in Malta in 2021 and provided them to 269 people. This is an increase from 261 requests in 2020, of whom 181 were provided with abortion pills. Doctors for Choice and Women’s Rights Foundation criticised the Maltese government for failing to push a Bill decriminalising abortion that was presented by independent MP Marlene Farrugia last year.

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5 last minute gift ideas which will save your Valentine’s Day

Feb 14 2022

Valentine’s Day is literally around the corner and while some of you may have prepared a romantic weekend full of gifts and activities, others may have taken it for granted and completely forgot to buy their significant other a token of gratitude on this special occasion. Now; while there is some cause for alarm, there is no need to panic because you can easily pull together a special Valentine’s Day gift in such short notice.

Couples Activities from Karti bil-Bajd, BDL Books & More

One of the most difficult things about a relationship is keeping it active, especially if you’ve been together for a long time. Thankfully, Malta boasts a roster of impeccably creative minds who have managed to develop a select number of board games and activities for speakers of the Maltese language.

Whether you want to challenge your partner’s trivia with an intense game of L-Għaref ta’ Salamun or prefer to take a more comedic approach with Karti Bil-Bajd, there are definitely enough games to go around.

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Sweet Treats from Mannarinu Caterers

Sweets are often the key to anyone’s heart and Mannarinu’s various Valentine’s packages will surely woo anyone with a sweet tooth. Their €20 Valentine Treat Box contains 2 muffins, 2 pink doughnuts, 1 heart-shaped biscuit, 2 pink macaroons and 4 chocolates, which means there’s something inside for both you and your partner.

Beyond their sweets range, they also offer a Stay-At-Home Dinner Date For Two which includes everything from Lobster Pasta to Beef Wellington.

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Jewellery from Carisma Collections

Carisma Collections are never short of gorgeous jewellery and their Valentine’s Day collections are definitely worth taking a look at. If, by chance, you happened to forget your partner’s Valentine’s gift, an impromptu visit to Carisma Collection’s website will definitely save you.

Check out their website or social media pages and pick out the ideal token of love and respect for your partner from their various collections.

Clothing from Parascandalo

With the endless amount of ways of saying ‘I Love You’ to your partner, why not say it with a piece of clothing? Better yet, personalise that piece of clothing and give your partner a lasting symbol of your endless love which they can wear!

This year, Parascandalo’s Kemm Inħobbok collection not only allows you to gift your partner a symbol of your eternal love, but personalise it and give them a reason to remember you every day.

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Flowers from every corner in Malta

The perfect pinnacle of last-minute purchases and the pricey saviour of forgetful partners who may have taken this year’s Valentine’s Day for granted. You’ll find these Potpourri purveyors at every village square and corner, selling the ideal last-minute Valentine’s tokens such as flowers, soft toys and if you’re lucky, even chocolates.

The flower vans and stalls are often a last-ditch efforts to save the day and have definitely come in clutch more times than one, so if you’re still gift-less, you might want to search for a flower stall after work.

Good luck and Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Party stations owe ARMS €4.7 million in pending bills

Feb 14 2022

Newsroom MaltaToday was informed by a ‘reliable’ source that both party TV stations, ONE TV and NET TV, owe millions in unpaid electricity bills to ARMS, the water and energy billing company. The newsroom revealed that One Productions, the Labour media house, owes ARMS up to €1.25 million in pending dues. Meanwhile, Media.Link, the PN’s media company, owes ARMS €3.5 million.

The newspapers was also informed that while a payment schedule is in place for ONE, little of the pending bill for Media.Link has been settled as of yet. Courts have been unsuccessfully petitioned to uphold a decision by the Information and Data Protection Appeals Tribunal. This had decided that ARMS should acquiesce to a freedom of information request by the newspaper to reveal the outstanding bills that both political parties had with ARMS.

The 2017 decision by the tribunal came four years after MaltaToday filed its request, with the newsroom reporting that the Nationalist and Labour parties had bills mounting to €2.5 million combined in 2014. The PN owed €1.9 million. MaltaToday insisted that unlike regular consumers, the parties contested democratic elections and selected who would be anointed Energy Affairs minister. This would allow them to negotiate better terms of repayment of their bills. ARMS and the IDPC were told by MaltaToday that consumers are at a disadvantage to political parties, which cannot be considered ‘normal clients’, as ARMS insists they are.

The winning parties whose candidates are elected winners then select the people to run ARMS and its two shareholders Enemalta and Water Services Corporation. ARMS had refused the newsroom’s request, with MaltaToday appealing the refusal. They stated that the IDPC, who, along with ARMS, applied an Article 5 exemption, had not carried out an appropriate public interest test on whether disclosing the information would be of more benefit to the public rather than being kept secret.

The Appeals Tribunal said that the FOI Act’s definition of public authority did not apply to corporations but to ministries, departments and agencies in which government had control. Lawyer Anna Mallia overturned the IDPC’s decision, ordering ARMS to furnish the newsroom with its requested documents. Her decision was later overturned by the Court of Appeal.

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