A ministry for loneliness

It is now an undeniable fact and the writing had long been on the wall.

In the first study carried out by the Faculty for the Well-being of Society in 2019, 43.6 per cent said they felt lonely. In an updated study in 2022, those who expressed feelings of loneliness had risen to 54.6 per cent.

Yet, what is most worrisome is the other fact that the age groups who replied to feeling most lonely were those aged between 11 and 19, and those over 55.

In January 2018, the UK appointed a minister for loneliness to deal with what Theresa May, then prime minister, called “the sad reality of modern life” for too many people. She justified such a commendable move thus: “I want to confront this challenge for our society and for all of us to take action to address the loneliness endured by the elderly, by carers, by those who have lost loved ones – people who have no one to talk to or share their thoughts and experiences with.”

Many people felt lonely. Photo: Shutterstock.com

It was, and still is, one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, including in Malta. The aftermath of that move in the UK was a first cross-government strategy to tackle it, giving birth to the practice known as ‘social prescribing’, allowing GPs to direct patients to community workers offering tailored support to help people improve their health and well-being instead of defaulting to medicine.

Five years on, the UK keeps building momentum and keeping loneliness high on the political agenda.

We must emulate the UK in this regard and not let the precious and eye-opening studies conducted by the Faculty for the Well-being of Society go to naught.

Let us act before it is too late.

MARK SAID – Msida

Life’s many surprises

John Consiglio (‘Who’s paying tax?’, January 4) spends his time picking out from official lists the names of ‘foreigners’ (a popular word in Malta) who have not paid their taxes.

His letter fails to mention the case of a prominent Maltese businessman who, only around 18 months ago, after a final ultimatum issued by the court, came to an agreement with the tax authorities to pay an accumulated tax debt of more than €20 million. Although failing to pay his dues, thus stealing money from his fellow Maltese, notwithstanding his persistent offences against planning regulations for his own benefit, this gentleman recently opened a new headquarters for his business, blessed by the archbishop of Malta.

Life is full of surprises, isn’t it?

ALAN COOKE – Sliema