Nurses union deny government claims that Gozo is prepared for Ebola virus

The nurses’ union this morning denied that Gozo General Hospital was prepared for the Ebola virus and said that not only were hoods and the blowers non-existent but a mock exercise on how to transfer an Ebola patient to Mater Dei Hospital had never taken place. It was referring to a statement issued by the government claiming that Gozo was prepared for the virus. The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said that training at Gozo General Hospital was done using the available gowns and not the proper equipment required to nurse Ebola patients with fully hooded suites and blowers incorporated in the suites Such hooded covered gowns, which were not even available at the Infectious Disease Unit in Mater Dei Hospital, were also not available in Gozo. Neither nurses in Malta, nor those in Gozo had ever made use of such personal protective equipment, MUMN said. The union said that although there was, on paper, a contingency plan for the transport of patients between Gozo and Mater Dei, no mock exercises as to identify the weakness and the flaws of such a plan were ever organised. The government said in a statement that the health authorities have been proactive with preparation plans for...