All in the numbers

The recent NSO report for 2016, which is based on statistics collected in 2015, shows some very interesting trends in the formation of our society.

Claudette Buttigieg is a PN MP – cbuttigieg08@gmail.com, twitter: @ButClaudette

There is a marginal (natural) increase in population of 883 persons, stemming from a larger number of births than deaths. However, there is a much larger increase in population due to immigration.

In 2015, according to the NSO, 12,000 immigrants arrived in Malta – more than three times the number of a decade earlier. Before anyone gets all xenophobic, it is important to note that only 1,844 of these were asylum seekers, the majority from Libya and Syria. When you consider the number of migrants who left the country (8,655), the number of persons residing in Malta increased by 4,176.

Therefore, the country’s total population grew by approximately 5,000 persons. It’s a sizeable number in proportion to the overall size of our population, which now stands at 434,403. What effect does this increase have on our society?

Undeniably, it has a strong effect on the availability, quality and price of housing. Where are these people living and in what conditions? What are they paying for their rent and how is this affecting the general population?

Of course, there is a very significant effect on various other aspects of our society. Take health services, for instance. A sudden increase in population puts a strain on the national health care system, not only on the number of patients making use of the services but possibly even on the type of health conditions which such an increase of foreigners would bring with it.

For example, last week was World TB day, and our authorities issued the regular PR on this occasion. There was a hint at the fact that TB in Malta is an “imported” disease but very little was said about where it comes from and how. Even less was said about the multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and the extensively drugresistant TB (XDR-TB), both major challenges in Eastern European countries. In fact, according to the WHO, “the European region has the highest rate of drug-resistant TB in the world … Around 73,000 people in the region are estimated to fall ill with MDR-TB every year.”

The countries with the highest prevalence of MDR-TB include Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia and Lithuania. Malta has seen an increase of immigrants coming from these countries and our authorities should be looking closer at this matter.

Back to the NSO report. Malta is seeing a constant increase in the 65+ population and a decrease in fertility. Statistics are also showing that the main causes of death are conditions related to the circulatory system (38.8%) and tumours (27.2%). There are also significant numbers related to respiratory health conditions, the endocrine (which includes diabetes and several other conditions) as well as a rising number of deaths stemming from mental and behavioural disorders.

The health policy crying out to be implemented in these statistics is an effective strategy of prevention.

Our country needs to take the proverbial bull by the horns and seriously address the challenges of national health as affected by our demographics. Most of these conditions are preventable and related to life-style choices. We need to step up preventive measures to help each individual live a healthier life.

The NSO report is indicating a serious fall in the consumption of local fruit and vegetables. This not only suggests that this government has completely abandoned the agricultural sector of our country. It also indicates that very little is being done to encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetables. One reason for this may be the price. Unhealthy food is very often much cheaper than healthier options. People with low income will find they have very little choices at hand. Unfortunately, they can afford the cheaper, more filling, unhealthy options as opposed to fruit and vegetables.

Once again, our government is doing very little in this area. Alas, its priorities are upside down.