Queues for free health check-ups

People need to focus their energy on the prevention of diseases and move away from the mentality of curing an illness once it surfaces, Health Minister Joe Cassar said yesterday.

“We need to focus more on health and not on disease... By keeping disease at bay we will be a healthier community,” the minister said as he stood outside his Valletta ministry where passers-by queued to undergo a series of free medical tests during an open day.

It was the second year that an open day was organised to spread the culture of prevention.

Visitors were able to check their blood pressure and glucose levels that could help detect diabetes. More than 30,000 people, or 9.5 per cent of Malta’s population, suffer from diabetes, and research shows the number is expected to increase to 36,000, or 11.1 per cent, by 2030.

People yesterday could also test their eyes for glaucoma, a condition that can lead to blindness, and carry out stress tests to help check their heart condition.

Cardiovascular disease, mainly heart attacks and strokes, is the leading cause of death globally. The most common causes of heart disease and stroke are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and tobacco use.

A European survey showed 58 per cent of Maltese adults are obese or overweight. Visitors yesterday were also given tips on healthy eating and exercise, breast monitoring, dental hygiene, sexually transmitted diseases and mental health consultations. Other services included the calculation of body mass index.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly Mario Galea pointed out that research showed that mental health problems by 2015 would surpass the incidence of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

A recent European survey showed that 15 per cent of the Maltese suffered from mental health problems at some point in their life.

Dr Cassar encouraged people present to “give the gift of health” and donate blood at the blood bank’s mobile unit, which was parked in Merchants Street. The blood bank uses about 50 bags of blood a day but demand spikes whenever there is a serious accident. There are cases where individual patients need 25 bags of blood.