Abrupt suspension of free aerobics classes

Various letters published on local papers have recently shown the great disappointment for the abrupt stopping of free aerobics to music evening classes.

During the past year, the Health Promotion Department (HPD) was offering free aerobics classes to all Maltese citizens. These proved to be very popular and successful. This was made possible by the generosity of six local councils that offered their spacious premises for this short-lived great initiative.

The councils that participated were: Birkirkara, Mosta, Naxxar, Floriana, Fgura and Żejtun. These councils understood that Malta has high rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even depression, all of which can be lowered by regular physical activity. Furthermore, they even extended their generosity by permitting residents from other localities in Malta and Gozo to make use of their facilities.

Each aerobics class consisted of 16 free one-hour sessions spread throughout a period of not less than eight weeks. Each group could hold about 20 or more participants. All that HPD was paying for was the remuneration of the aerobics instructors.

As a sports doctor I assure the government that these ongoing aerobics classes were going to save millions of euro from the financial burden on Mater Dei for the simple reason that it is medically proven that regular physical activity helps lower these non-communicable diseases mentioned above. As the old saying goes, "prevention is better than cure".

Unfortunately, we have very short-sighted, money-minded authorities of health that took a foolish decision by stopping abruptly this free service early this year without at least having the decency to inform the general public by issuing a press release.

This means that people still kept on applying for these aerobics and hence had to do a medical clearance certificate before applying. Such certificates can easily cost €10 and are very rarely done by health centre doctors for the simple reason that the doctor needs to know their medical history.

The irony is that at present the HPD is sending a booklet to medical doctors titled, Physical Activity: A Guide for Professionals. This booklet lays particular emphasis on the importance of aerobics as the "best form of exercise to control weight and keep heart healthy". The same booklet says: "Regular physical activity is a cost-effective way of improving and maintaining people's health".

I, therefore, urge the government to reconsider seriously the decision it is making if it does not want further people to visit Mater Dei and end up taking more expensive medicines as well. Last, but not least, an article on a paper raised the possibility that this service may restart but at a price! I have talked with a local councillor who told me that if this happens then they too would ask for their fair share for offering their hall.

I finally want to stress on the fact that the professional way the exercise to music classes were conducted with regular monitoring of the participants' health progress in addition to the medical filtering before one applies (for the ultimate benefit of the patient's health after all) is more the prerogative of the Ministry of Social Policy (Health) rather than that of any sport authority.