Malta announces expansion of MRI installed base

To cope with Malta's rising population, two new MRI scanners are to be installed, according to a report posted on 18 January in the Times of Malta.

Health and Elderly Minister Jo Etienne Abela said that a new MRI scanner, funded by the National Social Development and Social Fund at a cost of €2 million, will be installed at St Vincent De Paul Residence, the government's largest home for the elderly. Another MRI machine is being procured for Gozo General Hospital. The move is expected to significantly reduce the island's waiting list for MRI scans, currently standing at 15,750 patients, which is double the figure from six months ago, he said.

The surge in demand for MRI scans is linked to the expanding population, Abela said, adding that the three existing MRI scanners at Mater Dei Hospital have been operating "around the clock, seven days a week." In response to the overwhelming demand, the government has also been outsourcing MRI services to the private sector.

To tackle the long waiting list, the new MRI scanner at St Vincent De Paul Residence will specifically focus on the diagnosis and treatment of elderly individuals, noted the Times of Malta. With the additional machine for Gozo General Hospital, located on the second largest island of the Maltese archipelago, the government hopes to spare patients the need to leave Gozo for scans.

Abela confirmed that the tendering process for Gozo General's machine had been completed, and a bidder had been selected. Meanwhile, the implementation of a portable MRI machine is to serve as a temporary solution, he said.

As highlighted by the Times of Malta in 2019, this initiative aligns with broader efforts to address lengthy waiting times for medical appointments after a study by the European Commission that noted an average waiting time of 40 weeks for Malta.