In the six years between 2002 and 2008 the prevalence of asthma on a national basis increased from 7.3 to nine per cent, Health Minister Joseph Cassar told Parliament in reply to a question by Anthony Agius Decelis (PL). But there was no marked difference among regions, he added.
Going by a sample of 4,000 adult individuals in five-yearly Europe-wide research (the best source of information available, according to Dr Cassar), in 2002 there had been 8.1 per cent of the population who were suffering or had ever suffered from asthma in the south harbour region, compared with 7.7 per cent in the north harbour, 7.5 per cent in the southeast, seven per cent in the west and 8.2 per cent in the north regions.
By 2008 the figures had changed to 11.7 per cent in the south harbour, 9.5 per cent in the north harbour, 8.5 per cent in the southeast, 8.4 per cent in the west and 10.3 per cent in the north regions.
Answering other parliamentary questions by Mr Agius Decelis, Minister Cassar said that in 2008 the European Health Interview Survey had taken in a representative sample of 5,500 people over 16 years old. The results had shown that 8.5 per cent of men and 10 per cent of women were suffering or had at some time suffered from asthma, including allergic asthma. To another question, 3.7 per cent of men and 4.2 per cent of women had replied they were suffering or had at some time suffered from chronic bronchitis, emphysema or chronic obstruction pulmonary disease.
To a number of supplementary questions by Noel Farrugia (PL), Dr Cassar denied that the only culprits for the prevalence of asthma in Malta were the power stations and traffic, although he agreed that they were the major pollutants. But there were other major sources, such as quarries, construction works and factories. It was hardly plausible to suggest that all these pollutants be closed down, although more could be done to alleviate the situation. Air-conditioning, for example, caused problems for many asthmatics.
The BWSC extension to the power station at Delimara would not be exacerbating the pollution problem, least of all the incidence of asthma, because it would be in conformity with EU standards.
The rising incidence of asthma because of pollution could be found all over the world, said Dr Cassar. Malta was well manned by specialists in the field, with others in training. Even paediatricians were well versed in asthma. Only recently the government launched a national strategy on non-infectious diseases.