The need for a Parkinson’s Centre 

Healthcare systems are currently struggling to cope with neurological diseases. Parkinson’s leads the way in the soaring number of persons who are diagnosed with such conditions, even at the young age of 30, 40 and 50. 

In Malta and Gozo, this illness is increasing steadily at a rate of one per cent per month and World Health Organisation statistics show we have a high death rate of people living with Parkinson’s.

The deployment of specialised nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, speech therapists, dieticians and occupational therapists at a Parkinson’s Centre will,  undoubtedly, see a significant drop in loss of balance and falls, resulting in less hip fractures.

A Parkinson’s Centre would help the 2,000 people suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Photo: Shutterstock.com

A centre with specialised care will also mean people living with Parkinson’s will not have to be sent to care homes. Moreover, specialised nurses (currently we have none) can help with home care. 

The mission of Step Up for Parkinson’s is in line with the ‘National Health Systems Strategy 2023-2030 Document – Investing Successfully for a Healthy Future’, published in December 2022.

The strategic document states that “health services in Malta need to be more responsive and flexible to meet the needs of the population and the individual patient”. It also speaks about “providing personalised care based on the latest evidence”.  This is precisely the basis of our mission, backed by scientific evidence provided by our mentors ParkinsonNet in the Netherlands.

The document also highlights the importance of the much-needed culture change for healthcare in our country “to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more tailored support structure for individual-centric methods”. It also reaffirms that “efforts will be undertaken to implement the concept of ‘One-Stop-Shop’ services to avoid repeat visits to different clinics within a short span of time”. 

Step Up for Parkinson’s has no government funding, so we seek support from the community. For the past year, we have committed ourselves to spread further awareness through education for people to move away from the stigma that we have to cope with due to misconceptions about Parkinson’s sufferers.

Step Up for Parkinson’s is in urgent need of a Parkinson’s Centre to raise hope for around 2,000 people suffering from Parkinson’s disease in Malta and Gozo by providing them specialised care for them to cope with so many daily physical and emotional challenges. 

Adrian Casha – project manager, Step Up for Parkinson’s, Sliema

Unreliable bus service 

Public Transport route bus 122 travels from Valletta to Karin Grech Hospital and to Mater Dei Hospital and back to Valletta. Although there are several other buses which take commuters to Mater Dei Hospital, this is the only bus which goes to Karin Grech Hospital. 

Thus, for relatives or friends of patients at Karin Grech Hospital and some of the hospital staff this is the only means of transport. One would think that such an important social requirement would be well organised and efficiently run. What is taking place is exactly the opposite. 

Several times, these route buses are cancelled and passengers have to wait for half an hour on weekdays and an hour on Saturday and Sunday. Consequently, hospital visitors and workers arrive late at the respective hospitals. Moreover, on several occasions, they are also late in departing from Valletta and, consequently, this also results in the loss of visitation time and staff working hours.  

Although public transport is free for Tal-Linja valid cardholders, this service is unreliable and inefficient. The excuse has usually been a shortage of buses and bus drivers. This should, however, no longer be the case with the purchase of a considerable number of electric buses and an unlimited resource of third country national drivers. 

What is now required is better management to improve the organisation, conduct proper testing of bus drivers and exercise the necessary discipline on those drivers who neglect their duty. 

Raymon Sammut – Mellieħa