Private family doctors prepare for flu pandemic

The Association of Private Family Doctors has held a general meeting for its members to build a solid defence against the much-expected flu pandemic.

The aim of the meeting was to inform members on the latest developments in the progression of the avian influenza, so that they can be better prepared to tackle the impact of an eventual and highly probable influenza pandemic hitting Malta.

The World Health Organisation believes it is only a question of time before a global pandemic strikes and currently all eyes are on South East Asia, where the pandemic is likely to break.

During the meeting, the doctors discussed measures to inform patients better and to plan for an increase in seasonal influenza vaccination, which will start in October.

It was generally agreed that there was still a great deal of confusion within the community when it comes to distinguish between the normal vaccine for influenza that is given in autumn and the as yet inexistent vaccine for the virus that is expected to cause the influenza pandemic.

Private family doctors are actively addressing these issues every day by giving detailed explanations to individual patients who consult them.

Doctors attending the general meeting recommended that, for this task to be facilitated, the Health Department could provide educational material that will supplement and reinforce the advice given by the doctor during the consultation within a clinic environment.

One of the initiatives taken by the association was the publication of a leaflet urging patients to pre-book the influenza vaccination. The aim of this leaflet was to inform the public well ahead of the arrival of the vaccines so that the country will not experience undue shortages of vaccine in the coming autumn.

Influenza is a highly contagious, acute febrile, respiratory illness and has been known for centuries.

It occurs in epidemics of variable severity almost every winter and in occasional major pandemic outbreaks. Even today, the flu is a major burden for society, from both the clinical and economical points of view.

WHO estimates there are 1,000 million people worldwide who are at risk of suffering or dying from influenza and its complications.

In developed countries, about 100 people per million population die annually from influenza. In Malta, this would amount to 40 deaths for a population of 400,000. The vast majority of deaths occur among those over 65 years of age.

The Association of Private Family Doctors was formed by a unanimous vote during its first general meeting, in April.

The association is made up of self-employed doctors working in full time private family practice. Private family doctors are major stakeholders in the Maltese health service. It is estimated that, to date, the associations' combined practices cater for more than half the Maltese population.