Sina Bugeja’s career in public health and social welfare began with a foundation in nursing—a role she describes as her “first step into the real world.” While she found her nursing days rewarding, Sina felt there was a different way to guide people. “Hence my taking on further studies in social work and mediation locally and by reading for an MSc in Health Promotion at the University of Wales. Prevention and education became the name of the game,” she explains, reflecting on her decision to pursue further studies and focus on empowering individuals and communities.
What accomplishments are you most proud of in your time as CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services?
At FSWS, I challenged the status quo, recognizing that the three agencies under its umbrella operated in silos, offering similar services to separate cohorts—substance misusers, social cases, and disability cases. By fostering discussions and rethinking strategies, we improved collaboration and resource use, ultimately providing more effective support for those in need and their significant others.
If you could introduce one change to Malta’s social policies today, what would it be and why?
Malta can be proud of its social policies where the vulnerable and the needy are cared for. However, certain challenges are intergenerational. It is this cycle that needs to be broken through the main caregiver. I strongly believe that if adequate support and relevant education are offered to families as they are forming, certain behaviours and attitudes will improve. Keeping in mind that caregiving is a constant learning experience, informal training needs to be provided on an ongoing basis.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and how has it shaped your approach to work or life?
Crossroads where societal expectations seemed clear but felt like an easy way out were a recurring challenge. In one such moment, a wise person offered me invaluable advice: “At the end of the day, you have to live with yourself. Whether society is pleased or not will pass, but being unhappy with yourself will leave a lasting impact.”
What do you like to do to unwind after a long and busy week? Do you have any hobbies or routines you swear by?
My go-to safe space is my little garden. Just being out there is so restful and it helps me forget all the day’s troubles. I also like to go for walks, practice yoga or Pilates and go to the gym. I tend to need the exercise to free myself from the pressures that build up.
We have read that the Ministry for Health is about to take over the funding of chemotherapy patients that had till now been taken care of by MCCF. What is the MCCF perspective of this and why now? Are there any timelines?
The Minister’s statement was clear and to us at MCCF, this is definitely a step in the right direction. With so many new drugs coming on the market and so many newly diagnosed patients, it is almost taking over the work of MCCF. MCCF offers support in 4 areas: medical (not only oncology), social, disability and persons receiving treatment abroad. These four pillars are a lifeline to many individuals and their significant others and MCCF wants to continue offering support in these areas which tend to be crucial. No particular timelines have been set as everybody involved wants to ensure that patients are not caught in between procedures but the die has been cast. However, it will definitely take a couple of years.
Will MCCF still support patients if they are turned down by the Ministry for Health when applying for medical treatment? Any insight how patients will be able to approach the Ministry instead MCCF?
MCCF does not offer support only to oncology patients but also across other medical areas. The process of including the oncology drugs in the Government Formulary will take time but this is not new to the Ministry. New drugs are included regularly while older ones are removed. As happens with other drugs, the specialist ordering the drug concerned will apply on behalf of the patient through the internal channels.
How do you think community involvement has evolved in Malta over the years, and what role do you see for younger generations in this space?
I see a very active younger generation around me. Young persons who are interested in what is going on around them and want to bring about changes. The fact that they are also quite vociferous on things that they do not approve of augurs well. It is heartening to see that they can call a spade, a spade.
What do you see as the biggest challenge currently facing Malta’s healthcare system, and what solutions would you propose to address it?
The main problem is that we have become too specialized to the extent that the holistic view is not captured adequately except by General Practitioners. Before GPs are given their rightful place in patient care, patients stand to lose. It saddens me that all parts of the jigsaw are there and we’re not putting them well together.
From your experience, how can Malta better mitigate social services and healthcare to provide a more holistic approach to patient care?
The silo mentality continues to persist in some areas, despite years of advocating for a multi-disciplinary team approach. While this approach has shown excellent results in certain fields, some professions remain hesitant to fully embrace it. To truly support individuals, we must adopt a holistic view of their needs—physical, social, and emotional—and share relevant information professionally and responsibly. Unfortunately, GDPR is sometimes misinterpreted as a barrier to sharing data. In reality, the regulation emphasizes that any information shared must be necessary and purposeful, ensuring the individual’s best interests are always at the forefront.
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