Gozo hospital helipad cuts transfer times to Mater Dei by 10 minutes for patients needing urgent specialist care

Patients requiring emergency transfers at Gozo General Hospital are reaching Mater Dei Hospital around 10 minutes faster following the opening of a new €800,000 helipad on the hospital grounds.

The facility, inaugurated on Wednesday by Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ian Borg and Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, eliminates the need for patients to be transported by ambulance to the Xewkija Heliport before being flown to Malta.

The government said the new helipad would improve access to urgent specialised treatment for patients suffering from life-threatening conditions, including heart attacks, acute strokes and major trauma.

In 2025, 130 patients required emergency helicopter transfers from Gozo to Mater Dei Hospital. Since the new helipad was commissioned a few weeks ago, it has already been used for three patient transfers, Borg said.

“The time we are saving in these transfers shows how healthcare infrastructure, coupled with the efforts and collaboration of our dedicated teams at the two hospitals, can make a tangible difference to the care we provide to our patients. These precious minutes can save lives,” he said.

Camilleri said the project was another step towards improving healthcare services in Gozo, adding that reducing transfer times could make a significant difference in emergencies.

The investment forms part of wider plans to strengthen Gozo General Hospital and expand the range of services available on the island.

The Foundation for Medical Services began work on the helipad earlier this year, overseeing construction and the associated civil, mechanical and electrical engineering works.

The facility includes perimeter and touchdown lighting to support night operations, alongside other safety features.

Testing and certification were completed in recent weeks, with support from Gulfmed Aviation Services, the government’s air ambulance contractor. Hospital emergency teams, firefighters and other personnel also underwent training and simulated patient transfer exercises.

The project follows the reopening of the Mater Dei Hospital helipad in December 2024, after it had been out of operation for several years because of technical difficulties.

The government said the two projects together were cutting emergency transfer times from Gozo to Mater Dei by 25 minutes.

Other projects planned or under way at Gozo General Hospital include an expansion of the Outpatients Department, a new pharmacy with automated preparation of oncology treatments, expanded oncology services and improvements to diagnostic and laboratory facilities.

The hospital is also upgrading its operating theatres and critical care facilities as part of a broader strategy to transform it into a modern healthcare campus offering more comprehensive services to Gozitan patients.