Speaker Spotlight – Hon. Dr. Jo Etienne Abela

The Hon Dr Jo Etienne Abela is the Minister for Tourism and has served as a Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament since April 2022. Minister Abela held the portfolios for Active Ageing (April 2022 to January 2024) and Health and Active Ageing (January 2024 to May 2026). Dr Abela oversaw the complete refurbishment of St Vincent de Paule Facility, the setting up of a fully equipped and functional multi-disciplinary day hospital in the same facility, the formation of the Older Persons Standrads Authority, the launch of a raft of active ageing and health startegies, the completion of the Censu Moran Regional Centre, a complete revamp of the Gozo General Hospital, three new high-dependency units and 2 new general wards in Mater Dei Hospital, the revolution of type 1 diabetes care, the completion of the healthcare masterplans for Gozo and St Luke’s/Karen Grech hospitals, the launch of the 1400 emergency helpline and the completion of the tenders for Drone delivery of medical supplys and for the extension of the Mater Dei Emergency Department and New Acute Psychiatric.
Born in Gozo in 1975, Minister Abela recieved his education in Gozo, Malta and the United Kingdom. He is a surgeon by profession and specializes in conditions of the upper gastro-intestinal tract and the pancreas gland. He was appointed consulted in Glasgow in 2010 and moved back to Malta in 2012. At Mater Dei and Gozo General Hospitals, he introduced and pioneered several novel endoscopic, laparoscopic and robotic procedures. He is an accomplished trainer and educator and examines for the University of Malta and the European Board of General and Visceral Surgery. He is a Gold Medal recipient of the Royal College of Surgeosn of Edinburgh.