Meet the Malta Heath Network Board of Directors

Ms Gertrude A. Buttigieg

Chairperson

Gertrude A. Buttigieg qualified as a Speech & Language Pathologist in 1995 and obtained as a Masters Degree in Health Services Management in 2003.  Dr. Buttigieg is also a patient advocate.On a voluntary basis she has been serving within various health related organisations including Honorary Secretary of the Malta Health Network Since 2007 after being nominated by the Association of Speech Language Pathologists (Malta). Gertrude has participated as speaker and participant in several conferences locally and abroad and considering the vast professional  practice and years of experience in the voluntary sector, she brings along a rich baggage to the various fields she works in. Over the past 10 years she has become a Patient advocate and has contribute to raise awareness on a national level of Patients’ Rights and issues related to the Health sector such as patient education, patient empowerment, safety and access to services in an equitable and timely manner. She has served on the Malta Council for the Volunatry Sector board since 2013 and since March 2023 she holds the role of Chairperson.

Mr Christopher Vella

Vice Chairperson

Mr Christopher Vella is a genetic counsellor and medical ethicist with expertise in genetics, bioethics, medical law and healthcare policy. He is the chairperson of the Genetics and Genomic Counselling Association of Malta (GGCAM) and a registered genetic counsellor with the European board of Medical Genetics (EBMG). Currently serving as Genetic Care Coordinator (Practioner II) at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta, he specializes in genertic counseeling and genomic patient care coordination. With over a decade of experience, heis known for integrating scientific expertise with patient-centered care, ensuring that individuals receive accurate, ethical and compassionate service. He has been a board member of Malta Health Network for the past six years and is currently the vice- chairperson of Malta Health Network.

Ms. Marcelline Warrington

Secretary

Ms. Marcelline Warrington has been a board member with Malta Health Network for the past 3 years. She is a retired banker with 40 years of experience in banking. For the last 3 years she has been also an active volunteer with Hospice Malta. Throughout her time with MHN she has learned a lot about health- related policies and practices both in Malta and from the European Patients Forum, where she also attended on behalf of MHN for 2 conference hosted by them in Brussels, and the one of  Data Saves lives, which is more related to AI in digital health. She is very interested to be able to help and to network actively between people who experience health problems and other health- related organizations which is one of the main objectives of MHN. She is willing to continute working to give patients a voice on helath- related issues both in Malta and beyond.

Mr Demis Cachia

Treaurer

Mr. Demis Cachia graduated in 1996 with Diploma in Occupational Therapy. He then obtained a post-graduate diploma in Geriatrics and Gerentology. In 2021, he obtained a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from European Master Accademy. He currently leads Occupational Therapy Department in KGRH with his colleague. He gives lectures to Occupational Therapy students at UOM and leads a board with Agenzija Support. He specializes in Driving Rehabilitation and older persosn rehabilitation. He served in various positions within Malta Association of  Occupational Therapist (MAOT) commitee including that of treasurer and Vice-president and since the last 10 years as a President. He has been involved in a number of  other NGOs namely Muscular Dystrophy Group, Malta Health Network and Malta Federation of Professional Association currently being the treasurer in the last two organisations. He also leads the Occupational Therapy Geriatrics Forum.Mr. Cachia represented the MAOT in various meetings at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and Council of Occupational Therapy in Europe. He was invilved in various projects organised by the NGOs mentioned above.

Dr Godwin C Micallef

Board member

Dr Godwin C Micallef is a mangement consultant. He is an administration and financial controller. His tertiary education was in accountancy and business studies. He is also certified in advanced management from the University of Surrey (UK).Dr.Micallef occupied senior positions with multi- national companies in the marketing, manufacturing and service industries. He was a board member of the Malta Standards Authority over 9 years. He was the first Chairman and still and active board member who recently again elected as chairman of EAN Malta ( now GS1 Malta). GS1 Malta is the official representative of GS 1 global the official regulator of international systems for article numbering, bar- coding scanning and electronic commerce. In 2003 he occupied the post of Coordinator of the Foundation for Human Resources Development (FHRD) and is currently its Secretary General.  He was a member of the EU Economic Social Group as a delegate n the Consultative Commision on Industrial Change (CCMI). He represented Malta in Group 3 which deals with various interests. He was an elected member of the Council of the Federation of Industry (Now part of the Chamber of Commerce) for over 25 years. He was also involved with Environmental matters both with the Federation of Industry and the UOM from 1993 up till 2009. In 2010 he was presented with a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Grenoble Ecole de Management in recognition of his contribution to industry both in Malta and on an interational level.  For the past years he has been serving as a board member on the MHN baord where he also represented MHN on conferences with regards to Anti- Microbial Resistance.

Dr Christine Baluci

Board member

Dr Christine Baluci is a Public Health Specialist who has worked in the Public Health sector since 2009, with experience especially working on environmental health and tobacco related issues. She has participated in several European Union funded Health Programmes including the Health Impact Assessment in New Member States And Pre-Accession Countries [HIA NMAC] (2003-2008); the Child Safety Action Programme [CSAP] (2003-2008); the Tools to Address Childhood Trauma, Injury and Children’s Safety [TACTICS] (2008-2013); the Joint Action on Tobacco Control [JATC 1] (2014-2020) and Joint Action on Tobacco Control [JATC 2] (2021-2024). She has attended several WHO Euro training courses (Quantification of Disease from Environment Risks using the Environment Burden of Disease Methodology (Geneva, 2005), Children’s Health and Environment Trainer (Rome, 2005) and a Health Impact Assessment Course organised by the Wales Health Impact Assessment Support Unit (Wales, 2010). She served as the Ministry of Health’s focal point for the UN WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). She obtained her medical doctorate in 1987 and a master’s in public health medicine in 2000. Previously she served as a school doctor within the Primary Health Sector (1990- 2008). Dr Baluci is a member of the Malta Association for Public Health Medicine (MAPHM) and a member of the Board of Administrators of the Malta Health Network (MHN) since 2013 with a strong commitment towards patient empowerment, patient rights, Societal Impact of Pain (SIP), AMR, environmental effects on health, vaccination, End of Life care, and other Public Health related issues. She has represented the MHN in meetings and initiatives initiated by several European Civil Society Organisations, such as the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and Active Citizenship Network (ACN).

Mr. George Sultana

Board member

Mr. George Sultana is currently serving as a Council member on the National Association of Pensioners (NAP) and Board member on the Malta Health Network (MHN). He is a representative of NAP on the AGE Platform Europe Healthy Ageing Task Force and Dignified Ageing Task Force. Since June 2024, Mr. Sultana also occupies the position of Treasurer of the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA). Mr. Sultana was a career civil servant having worked in the Public Service for over forty years, commencing as a Clerk in 1978 before retiring from the service in 2019 while occupying the position of Director. He served as Malta’s representative on the Social Protection Committee, the European Union’s (EU) main advisory policy committee in the social policy area. Mr Sultana also attended EU Council meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg, as well as forming part of national delegations attending periodic review sessions of the United Nations in Geneva. Mr Sultana is a graduate of the University of Manchester U.K., having attained an MSc (Master of Science in Human Resource Management and Development) in 2007.

Ms. Vivien Cassar

Board member

Ms. Vivien Cassar

Teaching Dip; Dip Guidance and Counselling; Post Grad advanced Family Therapy; MA (Educ Studies)
Loughborough. After a career of many years in the education department first as a teacher then as school counsellor and visiting lecturer at the University of Malta, training prospective teachers and LSEs. Vivien has remained active in her retirement as she has continued to offer services in the voluntary sector. She has been involved in adult long life learning especially with vulnerable groups. Her main line of expertise is within the intra/interpersonal skills area and is very interested in continuing personal development. As a member of a number of NGOs over the years, she has remained in touch with different areas of society. In order to keep up with ever changing trends she continues to update through attending conferences and workshops. In 2019 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a lymph node operation and chemotherapy, she joined Europa Donna (Malta) and currently is Secretary of the organisation.

Past Vice Chairperson

Prof Raymond Galea

Prof Raymond Galea has been serving on MHN Board since 2007.  He is the President of the Malta Osteoporosis Society was nominated on MHN board by MOS.  Prof Galea is Head of the Malta Postgraduate Medical Training Programme and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta. Senior Lecturer, at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Malta.

Was responsible for two completed European Social Funds projects (2007-2013). He is a member on the Senate of the University of Malta and member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.