Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiPhoto: Darrin Zammit Lupi

A new initiative by the Health Ministry, funded by the EU and intended to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in Malta, will kick off tomorrow at Lyster Barracks Detention Centre.

The Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate within the Ministry, has managed to secure an investment of over €700,000 from the European Refugee Fund Emergency Measures Annual Programme 2012 to develop a project to enhance the screening process at Lyster Detention Centre in Ħal Far.

Due to its geographical position on the main migration routes from Africa to Europe, Malta has been receiving a high number of irregular immigrants seeking asylum.

These refugees and displaced people are mainly coming from Sub-Saharan Africa. This is a region with one of the highest levels of TB and HIV in the world.

To this effect, people coming from countries where certain diseases, such as tuberculosis, are endemic, are screened to promptly identify cases that are infectious, isolated for a time and then treated accordingly.

The Superintendence for Public Health, through two directorates, namely the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate and the Environmental Health Directorate, takes the necessary precautions and screening measures to ensure that all measures aimed at improving public health and the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases are undertaken.

Emphasis is made on tuberculosis control since this can be particularly problematic in detention facilities where people from diverse backgrounds are placed in very close proximity for a period of time.

Effective TB control and prevention include the early identification of people with the disease, prevention of transmission and treating and isolating infectious cases. Hence, screening on arrival to Malta is essential as this enables the early identification of any infectious diseases and health concerns, enabling the containment and timely and appropriate treatment.

The screening process involved the installation of a mobile digital X-ray machine at Lyster Detention Centre in Ħal Far. This will enable the screening of irregular immigrants on their arrival in a timely manner, without over-burdening the already overstretched Mater Dei, which is the sole general hospital in the country.

Furthermore, three isolation units have also been set up, which have the necessary facilities to isolate and treat irregular immigrants found to be suffering from contagious, infectious diseases which, if not identified immediately, will result in the spread of disease to the remaining irregular immigrants, staff who work with them and eventually the population.

There is no doubt about the added value this project will bring to Malta. Through its implementation, the necessity of transporting irregular immigrants from the identified Detention Centre to Mater Dei will be reduced drastically and through this one-stop shop the containment of infectious diseases will be ensured.

This EU-funded project entitled Emergency Measures: Screening of Refugees and Displaced Persons on Their Arrival in Malta was awarded last January and conducted within the stipulated time period of six months.

Charmaine Gauci, director, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate, was the project leader. The timely completion of this project required the coordinated effort of many stakeholders and was an excellent team effort of many dedicated people from the Health Ministry, the Ministry for Home Affairs and National Security, the Funds and Programmes Division and Department of Contracts.

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