Gozo has added a new piece of medical infrastructure aimed at strengthening its appeal to international diving enthusiasts, with the inauguration of a hyperbaric unit at Gozo General Hospital.

The facility, which can accommodate six people at a time, is intended to provide rapid treatment for diving-related incidents while also offering hyperbaric oxygen therapy to hospital patients.

Industry stakeholders believe the unit will contribute to enhancing Gozo’s reputation as a well-equipped diving destination in the Mediterranean.

The project was financed through the eco-contribution fund and delivered through collaboration between several government ministries – including the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing, and the Ministry for Gozo and Planning – with support from the Malta Tourism Authority.

The Gozo Tourism Association welcomed the development, noting that the installation follows long-standing lobbying efforts to ensure eco-contributions collected in Gozo are reinvested into tourism-related infrastructure on the island.

Officials attending the inauguration included 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.

They were joined by Malta Tourism Authority Chairman Charles Mangion and CEO Carlo Micallef, Gozo General Hospital CEO Carmen Ogilvie-Galea, and representatives of the Gozo Tourism Association.

Prior to the official launch, ministers and officials visited the ix-Xatt l-Aħmar dive site where they met with local divers to discuss the new facility, wreck conservation efforts and the continued development of Gozo’s diving sector.

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