In the midst of a pandemic that has taught the world the value of well-trained health care professionals, more young people are still needed in order to strengthen the nursing profession, Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Wednesday. Joined by representatives of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, Fearne marked the celebration of International Nursing Day with a message to youth to join the nursing profession. “The pandemic has taught us that we need to take care of professionals," he said. "I want to appeal to young people to opt for careers in health care and take up nursing. The government is making big investments to expand the scope of services we can offer, but in order to run these places we are going to more people to take up the profession.” There are currently around 3,300 nurses and midwives working in Malta, with 216 nurses and 11 midwives employed by the Health Department in 2020 and 138 nurses and eight midwives employed so far in 2021. Fearne said authorities hoped to employ another 150 to 200 nurses by the end of the year. Some 400 students are currently undertaking their studies to becoming nurses at the University of Malta as well as at MCAST. A...