Dermatologists say they are unable to treat patients for scabies amid an outbreak of the highly infectious skin condition.
Medication has been out of stock for the last eight weeks, the Maltese Association of Dermatology and Venerology (MADV) said.
We have nothing to treat them with except empty promises- Maltese Association of Dermatology and Venerology
Between January and March, 64 cases of scabies, an infestation of tiny mites in the skin, have been recorded.
“We can’t treat patients, we have nothing to treat them with except empty promises,” an MADV spokesperson said.
Scabies is spread by normal human contact and treatment involves medication that can be applied to the skin or taken orally.
The medication – Permethrin cream and Ivermectin tablets – has been inconsistent for the past eight weeks as the medicine’s stock, like many others, lacks sufficient procurement policies, the MADV claims.
Policies mean medicine supplied on past needs
Rather than overstocking medication to prepare for outbreaks, the association said current policies see medication supplied based on what was needed in previous months.
In the case of an outbreak, the government procures the medication it needs to solve the problem at hand.
However, this has led to a scabies outbreak without an end in sight as stocks remain non-existent.
This is not the first time such a shortage has happened, the MADV spokesperson said, as medication shortages are a recurring problem.
“It’s never dragged on for so long with no medication,” the spokesperson said.
“This shortage of supply at this critical level does not exist in other European countries,” the MADV said as the issue is not one of a lack of supply but procurement.
At the beginning of April, MADV and MAPHM released a joint statement regarding the recurring local shortage of scabies medication.
At the time, a health ministry spokesperson said that new stock of scabies medication had been received and would be distributed within the week.
“We are being taken for a ride,” the MADV spokesperson said because, despite the ministry’s promises, they have yet to see medication for the skin infection.
“This is out of control,” they said.“They don’t realise the severity of the situation. They are out of touch,” they said, emphasising that it is doctors who are face-to-face with suffering patients.
Times of Malta has sent questions to the health ministry.
What is scabies?
• Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by tiny burrowing mites.
• It is not often serious but it is infectious so it needs to be treated.
• It can spread from person to person through skin-to-skin contact.
• The infection is most common in the young and the elderly.