Treatment abroad: Malta 

Malta, a Mediterranean gem renowned for its rich history and stunning landscapes, offers top-notch medical tourism services with specialties in cardiology, oncology, and orthopaedics, attracting patients seeking high-quality healthcare in a tranquil and picturesque setting.

Quality of care, low prices and easy travel make Malta a popular overseas health care destination for international patients seeking surgery and treatment abroad.

Why consider Malta for treatment?

With a an excellent medical reputation (ranking fifth place in the world in the World Health Organisation’s report of 2000, it’s not surprising that Malta is becoming an increasingly popular health tourism destination.

State of the art private hospitals are equipped with ultra-modern technology such as laminar flow ventilation (which helps reduce risk of post-op infections by around 50 per cent) and outstanding teams of medical and nursing staff. Surgery prices are competitive and you may be able to pay for your orthopaedic surgery and accommodation and still have change from what the procedure alone would have cost at home. Savings can also be made on cosmetic surgery and you still get treatment in the leading private clinics in Malta.

The other two islands in the archipelago are Gozo and Comino and tourists can enjoy some pre-operation island hopping and explore the quiet villages in these tiny, beautiful islands. Gozo is the second largest, a rural, quiet and charming island popular for retirement and convalescence while Comino has the ultimate get-away-from-it-all factor with no cars and only a very small population. Cominotto, Filfla and St Paul’s also form part of the archipelago but they are largely uninhabited.

The Maltese people are renowned for being extremely welcoming and Malta offers a very restful and safe environment for medical tourists, particularly for elderly patients, and the lovely warm year-round climate as well as a great natural light which illuminates the island’s unparalleled beauty is very conducive for a sense of wellbeing and health.

Reasons to choose Malta

State of the art private hospitals with ultra modern technology

Top ten in the world for medical treatment

Mature healthcare tourism market

Surgery prices thirty percent less than mainland Europe

Friendly, sunny island that welcomes tourists

Fascinating history makes Malta a huge open air museum

Doctors in Malta : Training and accreditation

Many Maltese surgeons train abroad, where they receive the same qualifications and abbreviations as Maltese surgeons e.g. FRCS (Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons). The Medical School in Malta is located at St Luke’s Hospital, MSIDA, Guardamangia 06, Malta. (Tel: +356 3290 2224).

In Malta the training for cosmetic surgeons involves five years of undergraduate training in medicine then two years of pre-registration house officer jobs, followed by a further three to four years of general surgical training and five to six years of plastic surgery training.

Professional regulatory bodies include The Maltese Medical Council and since Malta’s accession to the EU a new committee has been set up to award specialist recognition, this is called the Specialist Accreditation Committee (SAC). Specialist registration is required to practice as a specialist in the field of plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery and the SAC accredits specialists on the recommendation of the Association of Surgeons of Malta, who help promote high standards of surgical practice in Malta and professional ethics.

Other associations include The Medical Association of Malta which aims to unite all members of the medical profession and promote ethical professional standards while the Health Division of the Malta Government is the regulator of health services in Malta.

The Ministry of Health is located at St Joseph High Road, St Venera (Tel: +356 485 1000), the Maltese Medical Council at Castellania Place, 15 Merchants Street, Valletta (Tel: +356 224 071) and the Medical Association of Malta at Medisle Village, St Andrews, Malta (Tel: +356 338851).

Surgery in Malta : Travel and accommodation

Malta International airport is located 10kms from the capital city, Valletta, between the villages of Luqa and Gudja. There is an air link between Malta International airport and the island of Gozo, which is operated by helicopter. The flight takes 15 minutes and offers fantastic aerial views of the Maltese islands. For more information, visit the Air Gozo site.

A regular ferry and catamaran service links several Italian and Sicilian ports with the capital, Valletta. Some shipping lines also serve Mediterranean ports. For information contact the Grimaldi Group (Tel: 356 21220940/21231689), MaReSi Shipping (Tel: 356 21320620/21232211), Sea Malta (Tel: 356 21232230/9, 2125994269) and Virtue Ferries (Tel: 356 21318854).

Getting around Malta

Public transport in Malta is efficient and inexpensive. The main bus terminus in Malta is in Valletta just outside the City Gate and you can hop on a bus to practically anywhere on the island. All buses to Valletta pass through its suburb town, Floriana, and generally speaking the bus terminus in any town/village can be located on or near the main square. To get an idea of the size of the island, the longest bus journey takes about 50 minutes, with most trips taking around 30.

The smaller islands are also well served by public transport. To get to Gozo by bus for example you can hop on a bus to Cirkewwa to take the ferry then get on a Gozo bus to arrive in its capital, Victoria. In Gozo, the bus terminus is in Main Gate Street, Victoria. Unlike in Malta, Gozo buses operate along circular routes, leaving from and returning to Victoria without scheduled stops at the terminus. A regular service runs to and from Mgarr, route 25, and is timed to coincide with the ferry timetable.

Many international car hire companies operate in Malta as well as a string of local companies and rates are reasonable. Driving is on the left. Another handy way of getting about the island is by bicycle. Mountain biking is becoming very popular on the island and is a great way of getting ‘off the beaten track’ and seeing more remote elements to these stunning islands.

Taxis are run by metres and the prices are government-controlled, but it’s advisable to clarify the fare before your journey. However, taxis from the airport have a separate system; you will need to pre-pay the fare at the taxi ticket booth in the arrivals lounge. On payment you will receive a ticket showing confirmation of this destination and fare which needs to be given to your driver at the end of the journey. If you decide to go to a different destination from that paid for, drivers will use the meter.

In Malta’s capital, Valletta, a double room in a three star hotel is likely to cost from €40 with a four star hotel from €60. The currency is the Euro; the country changed from the Maltese Lira in 2008.

About Malta

Malta is a former British colony and the smallest country in the European Union. Situated in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea between southern Europe and North Africa and around 93km south of the Italian island of Sicily, Malta is an archipelago of three islands.

Malta has been attracting visitors to its shores for millennia, with culture after culture conquering the small archipelago. It has been home to almost everyone, from ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians and the Byzantines, to the Romans, the Arabs, the French and most recently the British. By the time Malta finally became independent in 1964, its few small islands were effectively one huge open air museum of world architecture and history stretching back 7,000 years.

Perhaps the most famous, and most influential, rulers of Malta were the Knights of St John. For over 250 years they took the country through a golden era and lavished money and art on the country’s churches and palaces, leaving a stunning legacy, much of which can still be seen today.

Being right in the centre of the Mediterranean, and enjoys the benign climate that goes with it, with long, hot summers that stretch late into the year, and mild winters that never truly get cold. In fact, when the warm Sirocco winds blow in from Africa, it’s hard to tell which season you are in.

Malta offers you a delightful choice across its three islands, with a different pace of life on each. The main island, Malta, is a thriving holiday destination with everything you would expect, from nightclubs to top class restaurants, luxury hotels to beautiful beach resorts. Nearby Gozo takes life a little easier, with a more rural outlook and a laid back lifestyle that is nowhere near as busy as Malta. If Gozo still feels too tourist orientated, then head for the third occupied island in the archipelago, Comino, which is even quieter still with just one hotel and none of the tourist crowds.

On the main island, the capital Valetta is a must see, with a non-stop programme of events and exhibitions in its many galleries and museums. Valletta is a World Heritage City and this cultural, administrative, and commercial centre features Baroque architecture, monuments, museums, churches and quaint narrow streets.

Malta is well served with harbours, the most spectacular being the Valletta Grand Harbour and sailing enthusiasts will be in heaven with the interesting and craggy coastline and many bays and inlets. There are also great diving opportunities, and Malta is becoming a fashionable yachting centre. Water enthusiasts can hire canoes, boats, sailing boats, pedal boats, windsurfers, jet-skis, speedboats and yachts from the main water sport centres.

Alternatively, you can take a step back in time yourself in the stunning fortified city of Medina. Rich in Baroque architecture and still lit by gas lamps at night, it is a magical experience strolling through the medieval streets after dark.

Malta understands how important tourism is for its economy, and they have tried to provide something for everyone, from lively waterparks and modern, family-friendly hotels, to excellent facilities and easy access at its countless historical sites. Warm, friendly and strangely familiar, Malta makes everyone feel at home just as it has for the last 7,000 years.