Sicilian-Maltese agreement to provide transplants and high-specialty care for Maltese patients

A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Maltese and Sicilian governments to strengthen collaboration in the fields of transplantation and advanced treatments.

This morning, in Palazzo d’Orleans, seat of the Presidency of the Sicilian Region, a memorandum of understanding was signed by Ruggero Razza, Regional Health Commissioner, Vanessa Frazier, Maltese Ambassador to Italy, Bruna Piazza, Director of the Sicilian Regional Transplant Center, and Angelo Luca, Director of ISMETT (Istituto Mediterraneo Trapianti e Terapie di alta specializzazione). The memorandum was signed in the presence also of Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta, Nello Musumeci, President of the Region of Sicily, Chris Fearne, Maltese Minister of Health, and Alessandro Nanni Costa, Director of the Italian National Transplant Center.

“The new agreement will further allow Maltese patients to benefit from highly specialized treatments that are not currently available in Malta,” explained Mr. Razza, the Sicilian Health Commissioner. “This agreement is a continuation of previous collaborations in the fields of specialist training, professional development, and health care areas, such as transplantation and highly specialized therapies.” Based on the memorandum of understanding, ISMETT will treat adult and pediatric Maltese patients who suffer from serious diseases requiring an organ transplant. Maltese physicians will be in contact with ISMETT through the Treatment Abroad Committee, a mediation body of the Maltese Ministry of Health, which will verify availabilities and will be in charge of safely transferring patients. The agreement will also provide for postgraduate specialist training programs for Maltese doctors who want to develop new competencies in advanced and innovative procedures, as well as participate in joint research projects.