Flu cases: Hospital treats 300 patients a day
UPDATED - The Health Department said today that the Emergency Department is treating some 300 patients per day because of a severe outbreak of influenza.
It apologised to patients and their relatives after 18 patients were yesterday transferred from Mater Dei to private facilities and thanked the medical and transport staff for their services and cooperation.
Earlier today The Times reported that public and private hospitals were chock-a-block yesterday, struggling with a wave of patients struck by what the Health Department described as a “severe outbreak of influenza”.
The situation reached a point where the management of Mater Dei had to turn to the St James Group for help with bed space, only to be told they too were full to capacity.
“Both St James’ hospitals are full. We have patients waiting on chairs in emergency for people to be discharged from the wards to use the room directly afterwards,” Maria Bugeja, director of St James Hospital Group said.
She admitted the situation was not uncommon at this time of the year. However, the situation has been made worse by the crowding at Mater Dei.
The situation was so bad in Mater Dei hospital’s Emergency Department yesterday that doctors and nurses ran out of stretchers on which to see new patients as they were being used up by people waiting in the corridors for a bed in the wards, the president of the Emergency Nurses’ Union, John Zammit told The Times.
“The situation keeps getting worse. I think tonight we will have no place where to put patients,” he said, pointing out that two additional corridors were opened since Tuesday but even these had already been filled-up.
The Health Department last night issued a warning about the severe outbreak of influenza that hit the islands over the past weeks.
The department said there was no room for panic but urged people to be cautious, warning the flu could lead to problems among vulnerable people, including the elderly and those suffering from chronic conditions like heart failure and asthma.
This situation comes after the Emergency Nurses’ Union on Tuesday gave the health authorities until next week to sort out the overcrowding in hospital corridors, which last year saw two patients receive cardio-pulmonary resuscitation in full view of those around them.
“There is no more place in casualty for us to put these patients in,” Mr Zammit said before going to hospital for night duty, dreading the long shift ahead.
Since the New Year, the hospital witnessed an increased influx of patients, as is known to happen during the winter period.
Influenza-like illness trebled over the past 15 days, the Health Department said, pointing out that chest infections were behind the increase in admissions in the acute care hospital.
There were over 200 admissions of very sick patients between New Year’s Eve and 4 p.m. on Tuesday with another 45 people admitted during the night.
Mr Zammit said the union met up with the hospital management and the Health Department yesterday to discuss a way forward.
The union proposed that ward space be used more efficiently and estimated that each ward could take an extra four beds in the rooms. It also singled out a large store room, which, it said, was not being used much and could fit another 30 patients. Mr Zammit said if beds reserved for tomorrow’s operations would be used up, “which is likely”, the surgeries would have to be cancelled.
The union also asked for a riskassessment of the department and for the infection control unit to prepare a report of the situation in casualty.
Health Services director general John Cachia said the Health Department was making use of all the bed space it could source elsewhere in homes and discharging patients who could be sent back to their own homes safely.
However, Mr Zammit said many patients were being re-admitted in the evening, after being discharged from hospital in the morning.
As a long-term solution to address the problem, the department was looking into increasing long-term beds in other hospitals, to transfer such cases from Mater Dei. The department pointed out, however, that this would depend on the availability of nurses and carers.
The hospital has long suffered from bed-shortage problems. Soon after opening its doors to the public, the issue of having fewer beds than St Luke’s Hospital (Mater Dei’s predecessor) soon surfaced, leaving new admissions waiting around in Emergency Department corridors for a bed in the wards.
The problem of “bed-blockers” has long been known to be behind the problem as patients waiting for long-term care take up acute care beds while waiting to be transferred to places like St Vincent de Paul and Karen Grech Hospital. The wait can be a lengthy one as doctors and nurses have pointed out it is not unheard of for patients to wait a month at Mater Dei before being transferred elsewhere for long-term care.
(More stories from The Times in the News section)
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g borg
Jan 8th 2011, 02:17
@ Mr Weitze please quote me on trial/study proper scientific paper, not internet sites.
i can make up an internet site tomorrow and pass it for a fact, and people might believe me. proper scientific data please.
smuscat
Jan 7th 2011, 19:06
if with influenza and chest infections the hospital is choc a bloc, then a question....is the hospital prepared should a disaster happen (always hoping that it never happen) were more then 200 people are involved?
Eric Camenzuli
Jan 7th 2011, 16:48
The problem of beds in Mater Dei has been going on for these 3 years. We cannot anymore continue to bring these excuses to try and hide the problem this hospital has.
Everyone knew what will happen to this hospital from day one. Even primary school students know that the aging population is increasing therefore we needed much more beds in our hospital more then St. Luke's but our government is doing like ostriches!!
The important thing is that you where increased 600 Euros per week!! and for what??? For nothing
Hope that this island would never be hit from a disaster , imagine what would happen!!
E.Schembri
Jan 7th 2011, 14:22
First of all, vaccines are not the golden bullet as they actually give you a small dose of the virus to stimulate your body into creating the necessary antibodies, assuming that no new strain of virus will arise before the next flu shot. However it is an assumption!
Secondly, most GP' s will recommend the flu shot for people who suffer from complications, such as the young children, elderly, asthma suffers, etc.. otherwise a perfectly healthy adult with a good supplement of Vitamins (especially C) does not new any flu shots, considering the risks for taking such a shot. His body can fight off the flu within 3days if allowed to rest.
The problem in Malta is that sick people still continue to go to work for one reason or another, parents send their sick children to school so as not to take a few days leave and take care of their kids and most people are selfish enough to cough and sneeze out without covering their faces. Therefore, this lack of respect allows such viruses to spread quickly.
Also, a strict rule should be applied were the emergency dept only accepts REAL emergencies!!
G Borg
Jan 7th 2011, 08:44
at j xuereb where have you got the information that vaccination kills the immune system??
you are completely and utterly wrong. stop spreading wrong things as facts. Please give me one proper trial/study, just one that this has been proven...
And to everyone who is against the vaccine please provide evidence to what you are saying. please differentiate between flu and other viruses. The flu jab only protects against the Influenza virus, whilst quite a lot of people might have felt sick from other types of viruses.
Remember when somebody gets the flu, they remember it for life, because they just feel so terrible, they feel like they're dying, not able to sit out of bed, or do anything at all.
people like you mr Xuereb, where the cause of the measles outbreak in london earlier last year and deaths of hundreds of children - 'bec vaccines break down your immunity'
C. Weitze
Jan 7th 2011, 19:34
quoting Wikipedia: "In 2008, for the first time in 14 years, measles was declared endemic in the UK, meaning that the disease was sustained within the population. In May 2008, a British 17-year-old with an underlying immunodeficiency died of measles." Are these the hundreds of children, that died? In my childhood parents used to hold Measles, Rubella and Chicken Pocks Parties - just to mention an few - and let the kids drink from one straw to make sure we kids would get the virus during childhood, thus having a lifelong immunity against these viruses. Nowadays there are vaccinations for everything under the sun and an ongoing increase in allergies, autoimmune illnesses, ADS and Autism, again just to mention a few. Coincidence?! Perhaps it would be interesting for you to read about vaccine damages/injuries on the internet. There are quite some interesting sites.
g borg
Jan 8th 2011, 02:11
my mistake, i meant infected not killed, was writing above in a hurry.
that same fact autism has been refuted by the Lancet - the publishing journal of the original article, and the doctor involved in falsifying that information has lost his licence to practice by the english GMC.
if it were for you people, our children should not be immunised for hepatitis, polio, meningitis etc...
i would prefer to be immunized than get polio for eg.
Ray Buhagiar
Jan 6th 2011, 17:04
Please abandon the Triage system and replace it with a competent Doctor who is able to take a clinical decision and turn away people that are not emergency cases.
The triage system is a big mess and should be reevaluated. It does not make sense that chronic back pain are accepted as priority 3 and treated in the A&E dept. The same applies for injuries that happened weeks ago. They should all be advised to visit their family GP.
Let's use the Emergency Dept for emergency cases that require urgent treatment. If the Medical Association did not shoot down the GP system as proposed by the Department of Health we would not be in this mess. And that is the reason why MAM are keeping mum about this crisis....they are the culprits for turning down a Health Care Policy.
Mater Dei is a state of the art Hospital, and there are enough beds. The problem is that it is being abused by some who are blocking the health system with unnecessary investigations. Some patients are not helping either. Let's admit that closing some health centres was a mistake.
marcelle cini
Jan 6th 2011, 15:34
For those who presume to call those who do not take the jab as idiots please note that there is no guarantee that it will not prevent you from catching the flu . In my family 4 of us who took it were sick . So prove to us that those who are down with the flu now didn't get vaccinated.
And stop mixing things up.Last year even the council of Europe criticized the swine flu vaccine and the so called pandemic.
So if those who want to the jab, good and well but so blaming those who choose not to, We are not causing the flu.The flu has been here with us for long time and now all of sudden some people try to give the impression that hasn't.
Before we never used to hear about the complications and deaths. However now we hear it through all forms of communication so people begin to panic more.
All the best to those who are sick and wishing them a speedy recovery.
e vassallo
Jan 6th 2011, 14:52
The government should offer the vaccination for free to everyone who wishes to take it. I was once told by a nurse who takes care of vaccines that many are left every year which then are thrown away.
Mrs.L.Falzon
Jan 6th 2011, 14:51
I always say the best way to avoid the dreaded winter flu is firstly take the jab but more inportant is to keep away from crowds and also airports, means keeping a a fair distance from tourists from mainland europe and without sounding nasty especially from Britain, they tend to bring in the virus with their duty frees as extra weight.
SallyJ.Gatt
Jan 6th 2011, 19:17
Mrs.Falzon i agree but then again i tend to keep away from the British most times, they bore me to tears half the time, i know i lived in that horrible horrible country for quite a while, but now i am in paradise and by that i mean these lovely sunny healthy islands. Good bye and stay healthy, TIP:- country walks in Gozo and exercise more and plenty of home grown veggies. Sal from Qala
Mo Fenech
Jan 6th 2011, 22:51
We couldn't agree with you more Sally from Qala same here my girl. Gozo is over crowded with Foreigners (in caps) at the best of time. But i like your style, free speach makes our country different from the rest thank God. Mo Fenech
Simon George
Jan 7th 2011, 19:25
Hans Borg
Jan 6th 2011, 13:39
Kemm gejna tajjeb f'dan il-pajjiz!. Kulhadd iqabbel kollox ma' barra u la ghandhom problema huma, mhux problema li ahna ghandna problema ukoll!!!
J Simpson
Jan 7th 2011, 09:20
It's because no one can do miracles, but sometimes Maltese people think that the government can! Maltese tend to think that hey are inferior to other countries, and that the grass is always greener on the other side!...they need to know that other BIGGER countries can't do miracles either!!!
j grech
Jan 6th 2011, 13:36
even in the UK we have new modern hospitals and like malta they still get over crowded at this time of year with beds in corridoors so mater dei is no exception, what i dont understand is why ? st lukes was not re-vamped and kept going, some of st lukes could have been used for transfer of recovering patients freeing the beds in mater dei and also physio could be done at st lukes along with an administration block, and accomodation for long stay elderly awaiting transfer, perhaps it could incorporate a teaching block for nursing assistants or student nurses, apart from easing the overcrowding at mater dei it would create more job vacancys, why is it that malta has to have only one goverment hospital there should be two at the least for the growing population ? also i have noticed that malta has childrens wards but not a pedeactric hospital specilising in children only ,incorperating a special needs vacility for respite care to parents of special needs children.
VV Bartolo
Jan 6th 2011, 12:52
must admit we have this big PROBLEM AT MATER DEI with beds/stretchers shortage BUT people suffering from influenza should stay in bed and call their own GP to visit them at home and not invade each and everyone of us awaiting at the GP's clinic waiting area with their germs or worst scenario invading other vulnerable patients at mater dei!!
Jesmond fenech
Jan 6th 2011, 12:43
STATE OF THE ART HOSPITAL ,with less beds than St.Lukes. Haha!
Arthur Magro
Jan 6th 2011, 12:27
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT????
Hundreds of people admitted to hospital with influenza.....thousands die in Europe every influenza season.
AND THEN YOU GET SOME IDIOTS STILL ARGUING AGAINST VACCINATIONS!!!
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
Leonard Brincat
Jan 6th 2011, 13:17
With What right you call people idiots, I think you must be one yourself.
o.galea
Jan 6th 2011, 14:21
@ leonard - no need to split hairs. Mr. Magro was not being personal....
That's a "figure of speech"... it's the act that is idiotic. especially since ultimately......... prevention is better - and cheaper - than cure
Fabio Cassar
Jan 6th 2011, 15:07
When FACTS are evident by research....you have to be a big IDIOT to dismiss them!!
-Vaccine. 2010 Dec 16;29(2):240-6: 25,000 subjects, mortality hazard ratio (HR)=0.61; 95% CI 0.47-0.79. 39% reduction in mortality!!!!
-Eur Respir J. 2009 Jul;34(1):56-62. Adjusted mortality 0.56 (95% CI 0.45-0.69) 44% reduction in mortality!!!!!
-Eur Heart J. 2009 Jan;30(2):209-16 Influenza vaccination was associated with a significant reduction of 37% in the adjusted risk of winter mortality during the overall period 2002-2005. The attributable mortality risk reduction in vaccinated people was 8.2 deaths per 1000 person-winters.
Only 3 studies...from hundreds and hundreds. Not even ONE study has refuted these findings!!
J.Xuereb
Jan 6th 2011, 15:43
Dear Mr. Magro. I think it is better for you to make some research on what is best to take against flu viruses, either vaccination or natural vitamins and supplements, before calling people idiots!! I think that unfortunately the mainstream is being continuously affected by the media and by those in power like the health department. the mainstream is continuously bombarded in order to take vaccinations as prevention, while in reality our body has the natural ability to fight infections. Vaccinations kill this natural ability. Of course, the health department will NEVER advise and teach the mainstream to divert to natural vitamin suppliments (and there's a lot one can take) because of medicine business. So, Mr. Magro get informed on who is being the pure idiot.
Charles Muscat
Jan 6th 2011, 12:12
Let not pretend that we are bullet proof cause we are not. We are all subject for any thing regardless how careful we are.
Mario Ellul
Jan 6th 2011, 12:12
I think if the people most at risk (elderly, school children and people with respiratory diseases) took the flu vaccine annually, outbreaks such as this one would probably be avoided.
Charles Muscat
Jan 6th 2011, 12:07
I like this one very much, cheers
Anthony Farrugia
Jan 6th 2011, 12:01
Do we have problems ? Have a look at these UK sites:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/06/flu-vaccine-running-out
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Flu-Vaccine-Shortage-In-Parts-Of-UK-Admits-Government/Article/201101115881546?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15881546_Flu_Vaccine_Shortage_In_Parts_Of_UK%2C_Admits_Government
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Work-Absences-Hit-Almost-Two-Million-After-Xmas-Break---Flu-Outbreak-Among-The-Factors/Article/201101115880446?lpos=Business_Third_Home_Page_Article_Teaser_Region__7&lid=ARTICLE_15880446_Work_Absences_Hit_Almost_Two_Million_After_Xmas_Break_-_Flu_Outbreak_Among_The_Factors
Kristel Jo Bishop
Jan 6th 2011, 11:53
Maybe the health department should issue a set of clear instructions on what people should do in the cases of mild and not-so-severe flu cases that can be treated at home.
o.galea
Jan 6th 2011, 11:48
may I suggest that during this time of crisis ONLY ONE person be allowed next to every patient in Mater Dei at any time and that visitors are handed out masks to prevent the further spread of this flu.
We have a very unhealthy habit of overcrowding our relatives/friends when they're in hospital..... at this point it would be only prudent to limit the number of NON-PATIENTS in hospital. (employees excluded of course)
G. Fenech
Jan 6th 2011, 11:41
Close schools for a day tomorrow Friday. This will postpone a spread of the flu until this emergency is over. Medical and Health division please advise.
J Simpson
Jan 6th 2011, 12:28
Are you a teacher? :P
Mark Scerri
Jan 6th 2011, 12:29
Ohhh YES......and what will hospital employees do with their children??
Or should hospital staff stay at home to take care of their kids??
G.Fenech kindly advise!!!!
L Vella
Jan 6th 2011, 17:44
@ J Simpson & Mark Scerri
from today's BBC Online:
Director of Public Health at NHS Suffolk, Dr Brian Keeble, said: "It's clearly still very much around this mini-epidemic and it will be interesting to see what happens in the next week or so.
"I think it probably will start to tail off, but with the kids going back to school we might see another surge because kids are very good at passing bugs around."
Any further comments?
S. Agius
Jan 6th 2011, 11:41
It's not a coincidence that the outbreak followed the new years celebrations. Germs seem to have been making their celebrations as well. Please, I urge education authorities to issue an immediate order saying that children with flu like symptoms will be sent back home.
M Vella
Jan 6th 2011, 11:32
Drink hot red wine, that should do the trick.
R Borg
Jan 6th 2011, 12:45
My grand father used to do that,God bless his soul.
D Vella
Jan 6th 2011, 11:29
I wonder if, after waiting for YEARS in frustration for a place in a State Elderly facility, one could perhaps secure a bed for one's elderly mum at a posh home along the St James/Mater Dei arrangement mentioned above? I think not. Regarding the acute lack of space at St Vincent de Paule it is high time attention is drawn to the rampant nepotism in which places at this facility are being allocated. Waiting lists should be made public and a transparent point system based on clearly established criteria should be published. As things stand, God help you if you have no one to push for you at the relevant Ministry. No wonder residents are dragged out on stretchers to pay their dues come election time!!!!!! The situation is absolutely disgraceful.
Michel vanm Gurchom
Jan 6th 2011, 11:15
The hospital is fine here, people need to be educated, with a flu or a cold you do not go to hospital you see your GP. Problem solved.............
RMangion
Jan 6th 2011, 11:56
Mr Van Gurchom, its not the flue but complications that arise from it. This mostly appliues to persons that suffer from chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure etc... which are more at risk
L.Abela
Jan 6th 2011, 12:06
I agree 100% with you, most of my family had and still have some kind of flu, and also with very high temperature.......but we saw our GP and started medications!!! either we are too spoiled, on this Island, or we do it on purpose to add in the confusion!!
A. Grech
Jan 6th 2011, 11:01
One simple question to the Health Dep.
ARE WE PREPEARED FOR AN EMERGENCY IN CASE OF A NATIONAL DISASTER?
J Simpson
Jan 6th 2011, 11:35
I used to live abroad....and NO hospital (that you have to pay for your treatment) was equipped and preparedfor a disaster!!!!!!! Stop winging everyboday...and when catching a cold go to your GP not to hospital!!!!
j.zammit
Jan 6th 2011, 11:56
Seriously? if its a disaster then nobody is every prepared for it... thats why its a disaster.
Do you have a grab bag ready that contains first aid, basic supplies, spare clothing and bedding? maybe throw in a light shelter too... 99% of the population in Malta does not... why.. cos we all rely on big brother to take full care of us in good time, let alone the bad times...
Grazio Grixti
Jan 6th 2011, 10:55
Can someone from Government reply to this questions : Who took all the millions of Maltese Liri to build a state of the art hospital which DOESN'T CATER FOR TODAY'S & TOMORROW'S NEEDS? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THESE TRAGEDIES IN MALTA HEALTH CARE?
SHAME ON THOSE WHO TAKE STUPID DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF MALTESE CITIZENS!
Anthony Farrugia
Jan 6th 2011, 09:58
Since there was the H1N1 epidemic in 2008/2009 many armchair "experts" pontificated on not taking the vaccination. This false rumour was also spread about the seasonal flu jab which is usually taken in Octoner/November each year, thus resulting in a lower intake. Result a flu epidemic in January thanks to these prophets of misery.
m.ellul
Jan 6th 2011, 10:20
I didn't took the vaccination and I am on my fourth year now without taking it....guess what I a very fine. and I am surrounded by ill people who sneeze and cough and they all took the vaccination. And btw dear professor, do you have a record that all the people that are recovered in hospital all did not took the vaccination ?
LEONARD BRINCAT
Jan 6th 2011, 10:53
Mr.Farrugia
In life you always have a choice.I choose not to take the vaccination most probbably you took it.I did not force you to have it but you are demanding those who did not take it to take it . Please do not be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOOD DAY
Anthony Farrugia
Jan 6th 2011, 11:46
Read my post again, please. I am writing about those armchair critics and know-it-alls, who after consulting some obscure and worthless internet site, panicked people by writing negatively about the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations.
I have been taking the seasonal jab for years and have also taken the H1N1 vaccine with no side-effects whatsoever. Off course, one also has to take the normal elementary precautions, like washing hands etc.
A Cassar
Jan 6th 2011, 12:25
Dear m.ellul, One cannot call some casual "observation" as a medical fact.
The FACTS, taken from MILLIONS of subjects shows that Influenza vacination reduces,
1) illness 2) days off work 3) hospitalisation 4) DEATHS!!
These are NOT opinions...but FACTS.
And to your last answer YES....the great majority of people admitted with influenza did NOT take the vaccine. Of course the influenza vaccine does not protect from other forms of chest infections, pneumonias etc etc (though even these are reduced in vaccinated people as influenza predisposes to these conditions)
One has to have a severe lack of INTELLIGENCE, to continuing arguing against vaccination while our hospitals are choc-a-block with hundrends of patients, some of which are dying!!!
m.ellul
Jan 6th 2011, 19:36
@A Cassar
I am not arguing against vaccination and I am not forcing anyone not to take it. The reason why I did not take or will decide not to take the vaccination is because it is in my right of choice or because I am not a gullible person.
Albert Farrugia
Jan 6th 2011, 09:51
Well...in Europe there were disruptions due to snow...and here due to germs!
m deguara
Jan 6th 2011, 09:40
most schools re-open tomorrow after the christmas recess...the problem of spreading the germs is bound to increase drastically...the situation in hospitals and clinics will definitely get worse. An appeal to all parents of sick children PLEASE DONT SEND TO SCHOOL...for obvious reasons .... dont jeapardise your child's health just because you have to go to work and secondly for the sake of those around the child at school - teachers and fellow students!! I call upon school authorities - let's be strict in order to protect students and staff - sick children should not be allowed in classes but sent home immediately!
gaffarena joseph
Jan 6th 2011, 09:27
Re Paul Calleja.,
If a major disasterwill happen,we will do the same like most countries do, and get the help from other EU, countries.This is a normal procedere,and surely there is no need to say at this point that we are a micket mouse country.
I, have been to foreign hospitals, and be sure that all the delay in theit emergency is normal there.
I, am more than sure that irrispective of who is in power,he will not do miracles.We have to be proud that we had a state of the art hospital,but because of various reasons,that no govement can do nothing about it, our hospital; is still being administrated on a part time basis.
Where in any part of the world you see surgeans leaving our hospital at 2,00pm to see private patients.
What I, want is to see mater dei being administered more in a proficional way.All over the world there is this shortege of nurses.If you go to a london hospital; you think that you are in pakistan or india because nearly all the nurses are from foreign countries.
l fenech
Jan 6th 2011, 09:52
One solution to the problem is to get St. Luke's going again. Unfortunately this government has the obsession of closing down buildings, the list is tall. I wonder why Mater Dei has not been given to some foreign consortium.
Maria Attard
Jan 6th 2011, 10:34
ok fair enough we get help from the EU but in the meantime where are we going to transfer the patients that are in a&e! as if you don't know the a&e needs to transform in a major disaster area..and yes it might be all over the world that there are shortage of nurses but re. a&e its not the shortage of nurses they are concerned about...its the shortage of beds..i guess its not fair on them that much of the time area 2 has to be transformed in a ward + lots of patients waiting in the corridors..while when coming back from an ambulance call there is no place where to transfer the patients...action needs to be taken as apart its not fair on the patients themselves, its quite stressfull on the staff!! i believe the goverment need to start planning in reconstructing the health centres, at least 4 main ones, where they have to be fully equiped so at least priorities 2 and 3's could be seen there and by that reducing the overload in a&e!!!!!
N.Cutajar
Jan 6th 2011, 09:20
Some Maltese simply love free services...they'll go to emergency even with the slightest headache to bum a free panadol off the government & the ones usually moaning what a crap hospital it is are always the first ones to use it.
C. Borg
Jan 6th 2011, 11:43
Do you hang out at the emergency room and observe this yourself?
N.Cutajar
Jan 6th 2011, 12:19
@C.Borg...yes most cancer patients start of at the emergency so I couldn't help laughing at whole families complete with thermos & sandwiches tending to a relative with a minor scratch trying to save on a box of elastoplast
S. Scicluna
Jan 6th 2011, 08:58
While flu outbreaks are expected, one must do his/her best to avoid spreading the flu. I'm basically referring to three categories of egoistic, irresponsible individuals:
1. Workers who are sick and do not stay at home as if they want to prove something to their employer.
2. Working parents who send their sick children to school because they do not have someone to baby sit.
3. Others who do not abstain from visiting entertainment places even though they are sick.
If I'm sick I stay at home. If my children are sick they stay at home. Not just for our sake but for the sake of others too.
C. Borg
Jan 6th 2011, 11:41
Spot on.
Mark Scerri
Jan 6th 2011, 12:31
JOKE OF THE CENTURY!!!
Employees who go to work despite being sick....YOU MUST BE JOKING!!!
Sick leave is ABUSED by the majority of employees....they take a day off when they feel they don't want to go to work
Hallina sur Scicluna. HAHAHAHAHAHA
laura ferrito
Jan 6th 2011, 13:14
agree 100%....
S. Scicluna
Jan 6th 2011, 18:05
@ Mark Scerri
I did not say all employees do that, but some do. And yes they can spread the flu especially if they work in small, poorly ventilated workplaces.
Still, workers are not necessarily employees. These can be self employed (one man business) or are paid according to work done (per hour or per day). For these workers no work = no pay.
Carmel Cili8a
Jan 6th 2011, 08:52
Many people especially pensioners cannot afford heating in their homes. Maltese homes in January and February are too humid for people who may be suffering from chest infections. In England and other European countries Government issue heat bonus to vulnerable people. Someone will say but Malta is not England. I can assure you that humidity here is much much worse than on the continent. All in all it is getting quite clear that there was no proper planning in the building of Mater Dei. After dragging on for 17 years the final end for Gonzi and his band of cowboys was the last electoral propaganda. Maybe they already had in mind the 600 euros a week increase. That was planning indeed.
Adrian Borg
Jan 6th 2011, 08:50
Imbghad jekk naghmlu 4 sodod ohra f'kull ward, il-Union terga tqum u tibda tghid li issa n-nurses ma jistawx jahdmu komdi u ma jistghux jghaddu sew ghax m'hemmx spazzju.
U halluna ara ... nies bl-influwenza imissom joqghodu fis-sodda d-dar u jiehdu medicina li jtihom it-tabib taghhom.
victor rodenas
Jan 6th 2011, 08:40
With the increase of the population every year and the rise of life expectancy.What will the situation be in 10 ,20 yrs from now at Mater Dei?My guess is,......a complete disaster.Do we see only up to the tip of our noses?Future patients will continue to suffer ,unless something drastic will be done NOW.
C Cassar
Jan 6th 2011, 08:35
If more people paid attention to their hygiene, there wouldn't be such a problem. The practice of washing hands in Malta is non existent and the result is for all to see.
John Micallef
Jan 6th 2011, 08:45
You are wrong my friend, in government enquirries their are specialists in washing hands!! Pilot was an amateur in respect to them!!
robert micallef
Jan 6th 2011, 09:03
by your argument i suppose even the British do not wash their hands as there are close to 2 million people on sick leave today due to the flu.
S. Farrugia
Jan 6th 2011, 09:09
Ma naqbilx mieghek. L-Italja u l-Ingilterra wkoll kien hemm outbreak. Trid izzomm f'mohhok li f'dawn iz-zminijiet ikun hemm hafna parties, ikliet ecc, kollox fil-maghluq, u l-kesha wkoll tghin biex jinxtered il-virus. Huwa zmien tal-influwenza, u rridu naccettawha, mhux naraw kif se nwahhlu fin-nies. Inti tahsilhom idejk fuq kollox? u biex b'xi sapuna?? Ghax l-idealment huma prodotti li jkunu maghmulin minn 70% alcohol, u dawn jinxtraw minn kull spizerija.
C Cassar
Jan 6th 2011, 11:47
@robert micallef: yes hygeine is a big problem in the UK aswell. The message still hasn't got thru to many but the virus is very simple to control if:
a) People wash their hands several times a day with soap thoroughly.
b) Use a disposable tissue when sneezing/coffing and dispose of it immediately
c) All those handling food where some kind of latex gloves
d) Door handles, tables and commonly handled areas are wiped down regularly several times per day
The problem is that most people still judge hygeine by what they can see. If it looks clean it must be - but that couldn't be further from the truth.
The virus spreads because people are complacent, lazy, uneducated or all three.
S.Micallef
Jan 6th 2011, 12:45
I agree personal hygene is a problem in Malta.
Not only do people have problems washing their hands, it seems showers are a weekend luxury for some and clean and ironed clothes are not a priority either.
And this has nothing to do with education as I've met university graudates and professionals who are incapable of keeping up a decent clean appearance. Let this be a message to all.
Wash regularly and use deodrant!
Paul Calleja
Jan 6th 2011, 08:25
This means that there was no planning, the nursing union was warning about this problem since last summer but no one took action. Now the department is trying to sell the idea that this is not their fault but happened out of nowhere. Wake up this happens every year every winter/autumn. SO IF A MAJOR DISASTER OR ACCIDENT WHICH INVOLVES A QUITE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHAT HAPPENS? WE BLAME THE INFLUENZA SEASON???? what a good management we have, no planning and see, if something happens we blame something or someone.
Pajjiz tal mickey mouse
C Cassar
Jan 6th 2011, 09:01
Stop being so typically Maltese and blaming the government for everything. The filthy habits & complete lack of hygeine of most Maltese is the root cause of such outbreaks.
John J Borg
Jan 6th 2011, 08:20
vulnerable groups of patients that are expected to be affected by complications due to influenzae are children and the elderly.
One way to help avoid complications (such as bronchitis kicking in) is by keeping warm, but due to increased heating costs we see more people having to struggle with heating their households.
Anthony Farrugia
Jan 6th 2011, 10:24
Wear an extra sweater and have a tot, for medicinal purposes obviously !
M.Fleri
Jan 6th 2011, 08:12
No hospital can be considered state of the art if there are not enough beds for its people. Well done Gonzi you managed to build a hospital that looks pleasing to the eye but with fewer beds than St Lukes, what a genius you are.
K.Anastasi
Jan 6th 2011, 10:32
Pleasing to the eye?? Not from the outside, its ugly... but I wouldn't care as long as there were enough beds!
Paul Borg
Jan 6th 2011, 08:07
But Dr Gonzi promised us a State of the Art Hospital that would cater for the Maltese needs for the next twenty years!!?? Or this hospital was already Obsolete before opening its doors??
As time pass-by, everyone is confirming that building this hospital was NOT to cater for the patient's needs but for the contractor/business needs.
Also, when visited MDH a few months before opening, we were told that most of inner walls were build from dry wall sheets, so that these could be knocked down to provide more space for extra beds. May I ask that if this is true, what is the management waiting for? Ultimately it is the Govt. who is socially responsible to provide alternative and adequate facilities for elderly patients who have nowhere to go or depend on.
H Dempster
Jan 6th 2011, 07:37
Why not reopen St Lukes ?
A Bonnici
Jan 6th 2011, 08:10
Yes good idea. But who will man them?
Duncan A Falzon
Jan 6th 2011, 08:13
@ H. Dempster : I don't think it's possible on a tight schedule...remember that St Lukes was dismantled!
What can be done [in the longer term] is refurbishing parts of it and use them for these so called bed-blockers!
...however your idea is a very good one!
RMangion
Jan 6th 2011, 08:35
Whilst that would be an agreeable proposition ( AFTER upgrades are done to the place), we are still faced with a shortage of doctors and nurses, so....
albert leone ganado
Jan 6th 2011, 08:42
Please H Dempster dispel from your mind using St Luke's or part of it as an obvious logistic solution which will resolve permanently overcrowding at Mater Dei. Some of our bright young smart asses well placed as blue eyed fixtures in the government constellation have long cast their eyes on the place and have already ensconced themselves there with whatever grandiose illusions they harbour. Such persons rather than strengthen the concept of Smart City by centering themselves strategically at Xghajra have taken over the hill at Gwardamangia to act as lords of all they can survey from atop.
john vella
Jan 6th 2011, 11:59
@Dear Mr. albert leone ganado,
I could not say it better myself!
I was lately visiting a patient at Karen Grech. Why such a wait of property to build something smaller and let St. Luke to crumble. I am not going to say: 'only in Malta'. But please can someone shake my mind maybe I start of logic like those who increased themselves 600 a week. Rome is burning and Nero playing the harp.