The Chinese Embassy in Malta will support this project with a €45,000 donation
An agreement has been signed through which the Chinese Embassy in Malta will donate €45,000 to support the development of a multisensory space for children at Mater Dei Hospital’s Emergency Department. The project aims to provide a calmer and safer environment for children with autism, additional needs or sensory processing difficulties while they receive care.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Ian Borg explained that visiting the Emergency Department can be a stressful experience for any child. For children with particular sensory needs, the noise, lighting and unfamiliar surroundings can make this experience even more difficult. Quality care must therefore also include a welcoming environment that responds to each patient’s individual needs.
“Malta and China share a long history of cooperation spanning 54 years. This is a small but highly significant project which, through our collaboration with the Chinese Government, represented by the Chinese Embassy in Malta, will help us create a multisensory space for children receiving care. I thank the Embassy for this generous donation, which will make a tangible difference to our children and their families,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
The initiative forms part of the plans to expand the Emergency Department. However, to provide these children with support now, work is underway to introduce a multisensory space within the existing department as well. This first step will allow its benefits to be assessed in practice, with the experiences of children, parents and healthcare professionals informing the further development of the service.
“We look forward to evaluating the success of this project and using the experience we gain to incorporate this service into the expansion of Mater Dei’s Emergency Department. I thank the healthcare professionals who have worked to take this idea forward. An inclusive health service means adapting care to the needs of every individual,” added Dr Borg.
Chinese Ambassador to Malta Zhang Zuo said that Malta is an important partner of China within the European Union and that cooperation in healthcare is a key component of bilateral relations between the two countries. “It is particularly meaningful that this small but thoughtfully designed room has found a home in the renowned Mater Dei Hospital. I hope we can join our efforts to make it a symbol of friendship and another highlight of China–Malta cooperation in healthcare. Through our joint efforts, I hope this project will bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries, especially children and young people, while strengthening the ties between our peoples,” said Ambassador Zhang Zuo.
The Deputy Prime Minister also thanked President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca for taking this idea forward and for her support through the Malta Trust Foundation, which will collaborate in the development of the project.
For her part, President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said: “It is truly encouraging that the Deputy Prime Minister immediately showed a willingness to listen and understand the need for a multisensory space at Mater Dei Hospital. It is doubly rewarding that he also sought the knowledge and expertise we have at the Malta Trust Foundation to help implement this project. I look forward to seeing more initiatives like this reach everyone who needs such support.”
This initiative will support not only children and adolescents, but also parents and families who, at a time of concern about their children’s health, should find a service that understands and accommodates their particular needs. Behind every service is a person, behind every child is a family, and each deserves care that also brings peace of mind and dignity.
