On February 29, 2024, a pioneering event aimed at transforming healthcare through digital innovation took place at the Malta Life Sciences Park, as part of the inaugural Wales Week Malta. The event, organised under the auspices of the Malta Innovation Hub, brought together a Welsh delegation from the health industry and their Maltese counterparts, facilitated by Malta Life Sciences Park and The Wales Malta Initiative. The purpose was to exchange best practices and explore collaborative opportunities to enhance healthcare systems in both regions.
Key proposals emerged from the discussions, including the creation of the MediMalta Network, a formal health network to leverage existing strengths; the establishment of a public/private digital platform to maximise the benefits of shared medical and health data, and the formation of a Competence Centre dedicated to advancing technology transfer and digital skills for patients and healthcare professionals.
The event saw the participation of prominent figures such as Maltese Health Minister Hon. Jo Etienne Abela and Parliamentary Secretary for Research and Innovation Hon. Keith Azzopardi Tanti. The British High Commission also supported the event, emphasising the collaborative spirit and international reach of the initiative. The primary objective was to shape, guide, and support future collaboration opportunities, ensuring lasting value for all participants.
During his address at the @MedTech World Summit in October 2023, Prime Minister Robert Abela highlighted Malta’s potential as a hub for medical technology innovation. He emphasised the need for Malta to lead in research and innovation, particularly in pharmaceuticals and robotic surgery at Mater Dei Hospital. Abela urged both local and foreign companies to consider Malta and Gozo as central locations for their Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI).
Globally, digital health is recognized as crucial for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (@SDGs). By leveraging technology, digital health addresses access issues (SDG 3) through telemedicine, promotes preventative health with wearables and health apps, empowers women with reproductive health information (SDG 5), creates jobs in healthcare IT and telemedicine (SDG 8), and reduces health inequalities (SDG 10).
Discussions at the event also emphasized the importance of bridging the digital divide to ensure successful digital health implementation. This includes providing affordable internet access, especially in remote areas, training healthcare workers in digital tool usage and data security, standardising data formats for seamless communication between systems, and enforcing robust cybersecurity and privacy regulations to build trust. Involving communities and stakeholders ensures that solutions are culturally relevant, accessible, and meet their needs.
The establishment of a new health network, a digital health platform, and a Competence Centre are critical steps toward realising these goals. Those interested in joining the MediMalta Network are invited to submit their details to [email protected] following which they will also receive a digital copy of the report of the event.
Through these collaborative efforts, the newly formed MediMalta Network aims to drive significant advancements in healthcare, making it more accessible, innovative, and effective for all.
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Together with The Wales Malta Initiative (WMI) we are bridging the gap between Wales and Malta by focusing digital technology and life sciences to strengthen business, cultural, and educational ties between the two nations.
