A third of people admitted to hospital for asthma over the past decade live in Malta’s central region with localities including Birkirkara, Gżira, Ħamrun, Msida, Pietà, Qormi, St Julian's, Swieqi and Sliema.

The information came from Health Minister Chris Fearne who was replying to a parliamentary question, made by Nationalist MP Albert Buttigieg. Data he presented in parliament showed that over the past decade asthma hospitalisations have been on the increase but slowed down in 2020 and 2021 when the coronavirus pandemic forced people to remain indoors.

Asthma by region. Source: PQ

According to the data there were 4,476 asthma hospitalisations between 2013 and February this year. A third, 1,498, were people who lived in the Northern Harbour (Birkirkara, Gżira, Ħamrun, Msida, Pembroke, Pietà, Qormi, St Julians, San Gwann, Santa Venera, Swieqi, Sliema and Ta’Xbiex).

This was followed by 983 hospitalisations of residents of the Southern Harbour area (Valletta, the Three Cities, Fgura, Floriana, Kalkara, Luqa, Marsa, Paola, Santa Lucia, Tarxien, Xgħajra and Zabbar).

Buttigieg, the former St Julians Mayor, said this went to prove that there was a correlation between overdevelopment, traffic and health. “By going overboard with overdevelopment we are inflicting self harm on our quality of life… We need to stop being shortsighted,” he said.

Asthma by age. Source: PQ

Data also showed that Gozo had the least admissions to hospital for asthma with 20 in a decade. Across all districts the rate of hospitalisations dropped in 2020 and 2021 but started picking up to pre-covid rates in 2022.

A look at ages showed that most hospitalisations were of people over the age of 60 with the 65 to 74 bracket being mostly hospitalised with 830 hospitalisations. This was followed by 690 75-to-84 year olds. 

According to the World Health Organisation, asthma is a major noncommunicable disease, affecting both children and adults, and is the most common chronic disease among children.

Inflammation and narrowing of the small airways in the lungs cause asthma symptoms, which can be any combination of cough, wheeze, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Many people think of asthma as a childhood disease. But asthma may develop at any age and is common in adults.