ME should be included in list of disabilities – AD

Alternattiva Demokratika has backed a call by ME sufferers to include their condition in the list of disabilities covered by the Social Security Legislation Act.

ME, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, is a debilitating neurological condition that leaves patients suffering from multiple disabilities.

“The disease is clearly linked with a retrovirus (XMRV) and Malta’s health authorities have already banned blood donations from people with ME. The authorities should put an end to the injustice sufferers face,” health spokesman Bernardette Mercieca said.

ME displays fatigue as its main symptom but also gives rise to a wide range of other symptoms, which leave patients suffering from different disabilities. The problem with ME, however, is there is no test to diagnose it and symptoms can vary, leaving doctors reluctant to diagnose it.

AD chairman Michael Briguglio said the government should entitle sufferers to social rights and benefits, calling on the administration to provide equal access to treatment.

“AD also calls on the government to allocate funds for appropriate education and training of doctors and other healthcare professionals that would enable them to diagnose ME patients at an early stage and advise them on appropriate forms of health management,” he said.

Although the cause of ME is not yet known, a 2009 study linked a virus to the condition. Although the findings do not prove the virus causes ME, the scientists found evidence of a virus, otherwise known as XMRV, in a higher number of ME patients than in healthy blood donors.