The head of Mater Dei’s ophthalmic department has contradicted a claim that parliamentary secretary Franco Mercieca is the sole medical practitioner in any field of eye surgery.
Mr Thomas Fenech said that the medical services offered by Mr Mercieca can and are being offered by other surgeons at hospital.
“The impression that is being given that he (Franco Mercieca) is an essential cogwheel in the department and if he is not working here certain operations will not be done and we will need to send patients abroad, is not the case,” Mr Fenech said yesterday.
The ministerial code of ethics prevents Cabinet members from conducting any private work. However, Mr Mercieca was given “a limited waiver” by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to continue serving as an eye surgeon, on the basis that he is the sole specialist in two branches of eye surgery.
Asked for Mr Mercieca’s reaction to this latest development, a spokesman refuted the criticism. “Mr Fenech is conveniently ignoring the fact that Mr Mercieca is the sole ophthalmic surgeon in Malta specialised in cornea and anterior segment surgery,” he said, putting emphasis on the word “specialised”.
The spokesman reiterated that Mr Mercieca was...
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