Partit Momentum Calls For Transparency Over Heat-Related Deaths, Power Cut Impacts

Partit Momentum has called on the Government to provide further information on heat-related deaths recorded during July’s extreme heatwave, including details on the localities involved.

In a statement, Momentum said it submitted a Freedom of Information request on 27 July seeking anonymised data on heat-related deaths and hospital admissions, including the areas where the cases occurred.

The party said the request was intended to establish whether there was any correlation between heat-related deaths and localities that experienced prolonged power cuts during the heatwave.

Momentum said that on 13 August, the Ministry for Health confirmed that 20 deaths recorded between 20 and 26 July, during the peak of the heatwave, were directly or indirectly related to heat. However, the party claimed that the Ministry did not provide information on the localities where the deaths occurred.

The party said this period coincided with widespread and prolonged power interruptions across Malta, and that it had specifically requested anonymised information on the locations where deceased individuals were last present before being admitted to hospital.

According to Momentum, the Chief Medical Officer refused the request on 21 August, stating that the requested information was either already publicly available or would be published within three months.

Momentum executive member Graziella Spiteri said the Government has a responsibility to be transparent about the public health effects of the extreme heat and prolonged power cuts.

"Instead of the Government playing with words on whether the information is available or not or maybe in the future, the Government has a duty to be transparent about the public health impact the heat and the prolonged power cuts had on its citizens," Spiteri said.

Momentum also called on the Government to provide an update on compensation promised to households affected by the prolonged power interruptions. The party requested information on how many households have received compensation so far and the total amount paid to date.

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