Reaction to a series of Parliamentary Questions on 9 June 2020

MGRM and HIV Malta feel that the replies to a series of parliamentary questions made by Hon. Claudette Buttigieg fell short of the expectations raised through Malta's position at the top of ILGA's Rainbow Map. It only proves that in the strides made in terms of equality, we have left many people behind.

Answers given with respect to the HIV pandemic were vague, and people living with HIV have yet again not been given a specific date by when they can expect to see any form of improvement in medication to replace the severely outdated treatment which they receive, often dating back to an approval date of 20 years ago and more.

Similarly, whilst we have been aware of the relatively high rate of HIV transmission in Malta, we still see reluctance and foot-dragging in the long-promised PrEP trials, even though this preventive treatment reduces risk of HIV by in excess of 99%.

It is thus unsurprising that one of the first decisions made when the COVID-19 pandemic first started was to limit the services given by the GU Clinic, effectively bringing to a halt the services provided by the sole government sponsored clinic that offers sexual health screening in Malta. We found news articles celebrating a drop in HIV rates during this period, when little to no testing was being done, laughable.

Here we would like to extend our support to the appeal made by LGBTI+ Gozo for the provision of sexual health services in Gozo. The double-insularity of Gozo has effectively meant that sexually active people in Gozo have limited means to access sexual health services at best, and virtually no means of accessing any form of sexual health services during the pandemic.

The pandemic has proven that where there is willingness to put the right resource towards addressing a health crisis, results are obtained.  It is now the time to turn to HIV, the other pandemic in Malta which dates back from 1981, and resolve it once and for all.