Central level
The Ministry for Health (mainly its Healthcare Services Directorate) is responsible for:
- Formulation of and ensuring the implementation of public health policy and legislation;
- Pharmaceutical policy;
- Health promotion and disease prevention;
- Enforcement of public health legislation;
- Establishment and monitoring of standards for service providers in the primary, secondary, and tertiary care;
- Enforcement of legislation in relation to blood, organs, tissues and cells;
- Co-ordination and promotion of health informatics in healthcare services;
- Environmental health issues;
- Establishment and monitoring of nursing care standards in all care sectors;
- Identifying public health issues.
The National Health Systems Strategy for Malta (2014-2020) incorporates strategies aimed at:
- Improving and increasing available services;
- Promoting and streamlining services integration to ensure continuity of care;
- Improving prevention and
screening; - Health promotion services.
COVID-19
To guard against/control the COVID-19 infectious disease the Superintendent of Public Health is responsible for:
- issuing a declaration that a public health emergency exists,
- prescribing measures,
- imposing periods of quarantine,
- closing public places,
- suspending organised events,
- limiting the number of persons in public spaces.
Regional level
The Regional Councils are responsible
To
provide assistance to local councils within the region to benefit and
successfully manage programmes which are funded by the European Union.
Local level
The Local Councils are responsible for
- Establishment, upkeep, and maintenance of health and rehabilitation centres, government dispensaries, health district offices and Homes for Senior Citizens, Day Centres for Senior Citizens and Night Care Centres (as part of a national scheme);*
- Provision of information on public health;
- Working with people having special needs, mental health problems, working in community care as well as initiatives in the area of preventive care.
* Responsibility shared with the central level
COVID-19 measures:
Local councils, together with the Local Councils' Association created a community support platform, Yousafe, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its intention is to ensure that the communities stay in good health.
It enables:
- close contact with the community at all times during the crisis,
- community support,
- the involvement of residents in decisions.
Responsible ministries/bodies
The Ministry for
Health (Healthcare Services
Directorate)
Healthcare
Services Directorate
Sources
Constitution of Malta, 21
September 1964
Local Government Act, 23
July 1993
Public Health Act, 21
November 2003
Enforcement of
Directions relating to Quarantine Regulations, 12 March 2020
Period of
Quarantine (Contact with other persons) Order, 17 March 2020
Closure of Places
Open to the Public Order, 17 March 2020
Closure of
Non-Essential Retail Outlets and Outlets Providing Non-Essential Services Order, 23 March 2020
Self-Isolation of
Diagnosed Persons Order, 23 March 2020
Enforcement of
the order relating to self-isolation of diagnosed persons Regulations, 23
March 2020
Suspension of
Organised Events Order,
23 March 2020
Number of Persons in Public
Spaces Orders, 30 March
2020
Declaration of a Public
Health Emergency Order, 1 April 2020
The Ministry for
Health
Healthcare
Services Directorate
National
Health Systems Strategy for Malta (2014-2020)
