Mater Dei’s Emergency Department is open 24/7 and has a paediatric area. In Gozo, Victoria Health Centre offers daytime walk-in GP care; Gozo General Hospital is the published overnight destination, though official opening-hour details conflict.
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| Your child may be in immediate danger | Call 112. Do not wait for a helpline if the situation may be life-threatening. |
| Your child needs urgent assessment in Malta | Mater Dei Hospital’s Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day and has a paediatric area. A health centre may be suitable for some urgent problems; check the current service for your area. |
| Your child needs non-emergency advice, including at night | Call Primary HealthCare’s Client Support Centre on 21231231 or 21222444. Its telemedicine service operates 24/7 and is not an emergency service. |
| Your child may have swallowed something harmful | Call the Malta National Poisons Centre on 1774, open daily from 08:00 to 20:00. If your child is seriously unwell or in immediate danger, call 112. |
| You are in Gozo and need care overnight | Primary HealthCare’s service charter names Gozo General Hospital as the overnight destination for emergency or GP care. The charter gives conflicting end times for the overnight period, so confirm the current service hours if possible. |
When to call 112
Call Malta’s emergency number, 112, if your child may be having a life-threatening emergency. The Ministry for Health lists severe breathing difficulty, unconsciousness, major trauma and heavy bleeding as reasons to call 112 rather than the 1400 helpline.
Other warning signs identified in NHS child-health guidance include being hard to wake, blue or grey colouring, unusual paleness, difficulty breathing, or a rash that does not fade when pressed. This is general clinical guidance; in Malta, call 112 if you believe your child is in an emergency.
A baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38°C or higher needs urgent professional assessment, according to NHS guidance. This is clinical guidance, not a Malta service rule; do not rely on routine home monitoring in this situation.
Urgent care in Malta
Mater Dei Hospital in Msida has an Emergency Department open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and a paediatric area for babies and children. Patients are triaged by urgency, so less urgent cases may wait. The hospital says patients who can be treated at a health centre should use that service where appropriate.
Public health centres provide GP care, but opening times and out-of-hours destinations depend on the centre and locality. Check the current service for your area before travelling when the situation allows. For more Sunday GP options, see our guide to Sunday care.
For non-emergency advice or help deciding where to seek care, call Primary HealthCare’s Client Support Centre on 21231231 or 21222444. Its telemedicine service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is not an emergency service.
At night, on Sundays and public holidays
For a life-threatening problem, call 112 at any time. Mater Dei’s Emergency Department is open 24/7. For non-emergency advice, Primary HealthCare’s telemedicine service is available around the clock; for in-person care, use the current health-centre hours and out-of-hours arrangements for your locality.
Do not use 1400 as the route for a child under 16. The Ministry’s current page says 1400 is intended for patients aged 16–75 and directs people outside that range to Primary Healthcare on 21231231. For a child’s non-emergency advice, use the Primary Healthcare contact numbers; call 112 for an emergency.
If you are in Gozo
Victoria Health Centre is open daily, including public holidays, from 07:00 to 20:00; its walk-in GP service runs from 08:00 to 20:00. Primary HealthCare’s March 2026 service charter lists these as separate times. The charter names Gozo General Hospital for patients needing emergency or GP care overnight, but its published details conflict: one section gives 20:00–07:00 and another gives 20:00–08:00. Confirm the current overnight hours if possible.
Gozo General Hospital lists emergency care as a 24/7 service, and Ministry information lists paediatrics among the hospital’s clinical services. The available information does not confirm a separate paediatric area within its Emergency Department. Call 112 for a life-threatening emergency.
If your child may have swallowed something harmful
Call the Malta National Poisons Centre on 1774. Its public helpline is open daily, Monday to Sunday, from 08:00 to 20:00. Outside those hours, the Centre advises going to the nearest health centre or Emergency Department, depending on the severity. If your child is seriously unwell or in immediate danger, call 112 rather than waiting for the helpline.
What visiting families should bring
Do not assume public care will be free or reduced-cost for every visitor. Access depends on nationality, residency and entitlement documentation. Malta’s visitor guidance discusses EHIC, GHIC, S1 and Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement entitlements, and advises visitors to carry identification and any applicable entitlement documents. Check your family’s eligibility and travel-insurance cover.
Primary HealthCare says Maltese citizens, EU citizens and asylum seekers have free access to state health centres and community clinics; its page advises EU citizens to bring an E111 card. This does not establish free access for every visitor. For Primary HealthCare services, its March 2026 charter says a parent or legal guardian’s consent is required for a minor under 16.
Questions people ask
Can I call 1400 about my child?
The Ministry’s current guidance gives the 1400 age range as 16–75, so it is not the listed route for a child under 16. For non-emergency advice, call Primary HealthCare on 21231231 or 21222444. For an emergency, call 112.
Is Mater Dei’s Emergency Department open at night?
Yes. Mater Dei’s Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, every day, and has a paediatric area. Patients are triaged by urgency, so less urgent cases may wait.
Where can I take my child in Gozo?
Victoria Health Centre offers daytime walk-in GP care. Gozo General Hospital is the listed overnight destination for emergency or GP care, and it provides paediatric services. The March 2026 Primary HealthCare charter gives conflicting overnight end times, so confirm the current hours if possible. Call 112 for a life-threatening emergency.
Will my child’s care be free if we are visiting Malta?
That depends on nationality, residency and entitlement documents. Carry identification and any applicable EHIC, GHIC, S1 or other entitlement documents, and check your travel insurance. Do not assume every visitor is eligible for free care.
What should I do if my child may have swallowed something harmful?
Call the Malta National Poisons Centre on 1774, open daily from 08:00 to 20:00. Outside those hours, go to a health centre or Emergency Department depending on the severity. If your child is seriously unwell or in immediate danger, call 112.
Need a pharmacy today? Find one in Malta or Gozo. Confirm opening hours and product availability before travelling.
Sources
- Ministry for Health — What is the 1400 Helpline?
- Mater Dei Hospital — Emergency Department
- Primary HealthCare — Telemedicine
- Primary HealthCare — Victoria Health Centre
- Primary HealthCare — March 2026 Quality Service Charter
- Ministry for Health — Health Services
- Ministry for Health — Gozo General Hospital Information
- NHS — High temperature (fever) in children
- Malta National Poisons Centre
- Malta Interactive Portal — Information regarding Healthcare in Malta
- Primary HealthCare — Entitlement
General information, not individual medical advice. Confirm medicine classification and suitability with a pharmacist or healthcare professional.