New hyperbaric unit inaugurated at Gozo General Hospital to enhance diving safety

Gozo’s tourism and healthcare infrastructure received a boost this week with the inauguration of a new hyperbaric unit at Gozo General Hospital.

The six-person facility is designed to improve emergency response for diving-related incidents while also broadening access to hyperbaric oxygen therapy for patients receiving treatment at the hospital.

The project was financed through the eco-contribution fund and implemented through collaboration between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing, and the Ministry for Gozo and Planning, with the support of the Malta Tourism Authority.

According to the Gozo Tourism Association (GTA), the new installation strengthens Gozo’s position as a destination for diving tourism while enhancing safety standards for visitors engaging in the activity.

The association noted that it had long advocated for eco-contributions collected in Gozo to be ring-fenced and reinvested locally, expressing satisfaction that these funds helped finance the facility.

The inauguration was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg, Minister for Health and Active Ageing Jo Etienne Abela, and Minister for Gozo and Planning Clint Camilleri.

Also present were Malta Tourism Authority Chairman Charles Mangion, MTA CEO Carlo Micallef, Gozo General Hospital CEO Carmen Ogilvie-Galea, and representatives of the Gozo Tourism Association including Chairman Paul Scicluna, Secretary Mark Busutil, CEO Joe Muscat, and Treasurer Konrad Scicluna.

Prior to the inauguration, ministers and officials visited the ix-Xatt l-Aħmar dive site, where they met with local divers to discuss matters related to the new hyperbaric unit, wreck conservation and the broader development of Gozo’s diving product.

The unit will be operated by a medical team led by Doctor Lyubisa Matity at Gozo General Hospital.