Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party, said that it expressed its support of ‘ME Sufferers Malta,’ a support group for patients suffering from various degrees of ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and disability. May is ME Awareness month. Similar to MS, ME is also a disabling neurological condition (as defined by the World Health Organisation WHO-ICD-10-G93.3) with a variety of symptoms that include dizziness, pain, cognitive problems, and overwhelming fatigue. Researchers believe that ME may be caused either by an enterovirus (like polio), or by a newly discovered retrovirus, XMRV, which is also implicated in prostate cancer.
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said, “Many sufferers of ME are housebound and often bedbound most of the time; due to the fluctuating nature of their illness they are not always able to do the awareness work they wish – sometimes they just have to stay in bed. Unfortunately they are not being given equal recognition by the Government as other patients for services and benefits as other people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. AD strongly appeals for changes in Malta’s social policy legislation through which such persons may be socially included for equal rights as others with disabilities and chronic illness. AD also endorses the appeal of ME Sufferers Malta so that blood transfusions from ME sufferers are prohibited due to possible transmission of ME.”
Bernardette Mercieca, AD spokesperson for Health, added, “Official statistics on ME in Malta are presently unavailable. However, after analysing estimates abroad, Dr John H Greensmith from ME Free For All.Org www.mefreeforall.org [1], speculates that around 800 people, including children and elderly people, are genuinely suffering from ME in Malta; although alarmingly many remain undiagnosed and/or misdiagnosed.”
“Malta’s lack of policies that help ME sufferers is resulting in a tremendous impact on sufferers’ and their families’ standard of living, forcing some to live below the bread line. People with ME are also being refused Home Help and Care and other desperately needed services (such as housing, social care, home tuition for school children, respite care for the severely affected) that would alleviate some of the hardships and burden faced by sufferers of such a devastating illness.”
“AD therefore appeals to the Government to give due importance to ME also in terms of awareness, both amongst the medical profession as well as amongst various sectors of the public service.”
More information of ME Sufferers Malta can be obtained from www.mesufferersmalta.org [2]