Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela announced that 100 patients will be relocated from Mount Carmel to other psychiatric homes and community services within weeks.

This is the first step in a plan to close Mount Carmel within four years, marking a significant change in Malta’s healthcare system.

Abela revealed that the 19th-century hospital is unsuitable, blaming historical government inaction for the inadequate mental health infrastructure.

An expert committee recommended integrating mental and physical health services. Mount Carmel, often criticized for poor conditions, currently houses 230 patients, according to Times of Malta. The first group to move will be those with mild and stable conditions, transferring to community services or licensed homes run by mental health NGOs, promoting reintegration into the community.

The second phase, planned for the end of the year, involves reopening Mater Dei’s psychiatric unit, which was converted into a COVID ward, to accommodate 30 more patients.

The third phase involves constructing a new acute psychiatric unit at Mater Dei, projected to open within four years, and planned to serve 128 patients, through a €33 million investment. This unit replaces earlier plans for a separate psychiatric hospital.

Since taking office, Abela has revamped Malta’s mental health strategy, aiming to eliminate the stigma associated with Mount Carmel and treat mental health like any other medical condition.

On their part, the Nationalist Party on Monday released a statement saying that mental health care is not truly a priority for the government, but was not made in reference to this plan or Mount Carmel.

#MaltaDaily