Vitals found ‘novel ways to pocket taxpayer money’

Updated - Adds video of press conference by Opposition leader Adrian Delia. The government is duty-bound to look into the alleged financial manoeuvring of the people behind Vitals Global Health Care (VGH) and news reports into questionable deals, Opposition leader Adrian Delia said on Tuesday. The Shift News revealed on Monday how VGH funded a €5 million takeover of a local medical firm called Technoline, which was then given exclusive rights to handle procurement for the three State-owned hospitals entrusted to VGH. According to the media reports, VGH sold the three public hospitals it managed to Steward Healthcare for just €1 in 2017, but “millions” changed hands behind closed doors. These payments included a €1 million payoff to a Dubai company called Mount Everest General Trading LLC, whose involvement in the ownership structures was previously unknown. The government has repeatedly refused to release documents related to the due diligence carried out on VGH and its owners.  It pays the concessionaires around €70 million annually to make use of bed space and medical services provided by the company at the three hospitals. The government announced that VGH was selling the...