The University of Malta today launched its survey “SAĦĦTEK –Health and Well being” at the University of Malta Medical School in Mater Dei Hospital.

The study was launched in the presence of the University of Malta Rector Prof. Juanito Camilleri and a number of officials from sponsoring organisations.

The project co-ordinator Dr. Sarah Cuschieri (pictured above) and the chairman of the project steering committee Dr. Julian Mamo gave a description of the aims and benefits of the study for participants and for future health planning in Malta.

Mr. Julian Sammut trustee of The Alfred Mizzi Foundation (TAMF), main sponsors of SAĦĦTEK, praised the initiative being taken by the team of doctors and researchers and expressed the Foundation’s pleasure in assisting by means of a financial grant especially as Alf. Mizzi and Sons Ltd., patron of TAMF, will be celebrating its centenary in 2015. Mr. Sammut assured the coordinators that TAMF will be being taking a keen interest in their work and will continue to assist along the way.

Other major sponsors include the University’s Research and Innovation Development Trust (RIDT) and Atlas Insurance. It is to be noted that the Parliamentary Secretariat for Health facilitated access to the health centres and clinics, together with furnishing access to the hospital laboratories for some blood testing that will be required for the study.  Technoline provided some of the kits to be used for laboratory testing.

SAĦĦTEK is going to focus mainly on one of the diseases that afflict a large proportion of the Maltese population – diabetes.  The aim is to study in greater detail the burden of this condition in the Maltese population, together with a close look at all related risk factors. This is expected to complement the generic health survey currently underway by the Directorate for Health Information & Research within the Ministry for Energy and Health, under the name of European Health Interview Survey.  SAĦĦTEK will also present an opportunity for synergies between the two research initiatives to study even better the context of this disease in our population.

SAĦĦTEK is a cross-sectional health survey across the whole of Malta and Gozo, which will start this November and will be completed in two years. The project team will be visiting different localities using the facilities provided at health clinics (bereġ) and health centres in order to perform free health checkups and collect information from a representative sample of individuals chosen at random by the National Statistics Office from all over Malta and Gozo.

The study is aimed at gaining precise estimate of the prevalence of diabetes, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, together with the related conditions of obesity and hypertension, as well as the levels of physical activity, tobacco consumption and nutritional intakes.

The study will explore the risk factors that are leading to these conditions nationally. It will also identify any links between these important diseases, various lifestyle factors and genetics.  Among these risk factors lie the major causes predisposing the Maltese population to type 2 diabetes; the most common type of diabetes amongst the Maltese.

The last frequency study of this magnitude was conducted in 1981 and SAĦĦTEK will update the situation in Malta today with regards to the percentage of the population having this disease within different groups in the population.

Further, SAĦĦTEK is expected to provide information about the proportion of the population with obesity, high blood pressure, regular physical activity, smoking habits, regular alcohol consumption and nutritional patterns. This will supplement the information currently available about the health of the Maltese population available to health policy makers and health planners to build preventive and management policies and strategies.

During the launch, the importance of this study for understanding in greater detail the factors underlying the current health of adults in Malta was outlined. Participants receiving a letter to participate in this important health survey were urged to accept the invitation, undertake the free check up and contribute towards informing the planning of health policy in Malta.

The study also enjoys the support of a number of private entities.  Novartis, VJ Salomone Pharma, Charles De Giorgio, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Bayer Diabetes Center, Lilly, MIDI plc, Chemimart Group, Holland and Barrett, Camilleri Group, Calypso Hotel, Kristal Water, The Smart Skin Clinic, Vascas, Hilton, Corinthia Group, Scan Computers, Bristow Potteries, JB Stores, and San Michel Water all contributed to realising SAĦĦTEK.