Malta’s diabetes problem confirmed

Maltese diabetes care was ranked 20th in Europe at the launch of the first Euro Consumer Diabetes Index.
Denmark leads the Diabetes Index ranking followed by the UK, France and the Netherlands.
Malta kept its Euro Health Consumer position but registered a big step back compared to the Euro Consumer Heart Index, where it achieved 15th place.
The Diabetes Index compares care systems around Europe from a consumer point of view. In five categories, covering 26 performance indicators, Malta scored 648 points from a potential 1,000.
“High obesity rates are probably the main factor behind the high diabetes prevalence in Malta. Nevertheless, the screening coverage is reasonably good – there is high awareness in the healthcare system that diabetes is a big problem. Another major problem is that Malta has poor or non-existent outcomes data,” says Dr. Beatriz Cebolla Garrofé, Project Manager for the Diabetes Index.
What more could be done in Malta to improve diabetes care? “Together with improving the data on outcomes, prevention programmes could make a big difference,” states the President of the Health Consumer Powerhouse, Mr. Johan Hjertqvist, analysing Malta’s performance in the Index.
The Euro Consumer Diabetes Index provides the first ever ranking of European diabetes healthcare systems across five key areas: Information, Consumer Rights and Choice; Access; Prevention; Generosity and Outcomes. The Diabetes Index is sourced from public statistics and independent research. The producer is the analysis and information organisation; Health Consumer Powerhouse. As with all other HCP Indexes, the organisation takes a consumer-centred position. The Index is produced with the help of an unrestricted grant from Pfizer Inc.

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