The Alfred Mizzi Foundation will be sponsoring "SAĦĦTEK -Health and Well being", a health survey aimed at studying in detail the burden of diabetes in Malta to the extent of €50,000. The study was launched at the Medical School in Mater Dei Hospital by the University of Malta rector, Prof. Juanito Camilleri in the presence of Julian Sammut, trustee of The Alfred Mizzi Foundation (TAMF),.

The project co-coordinator Dr. Sarah Cuschieri 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 SAHHTEK, praised the initiative being undertaken by the team of doctors and researchers and expressed the Foundation's  commitment to support this project by means of a financial grant as part of Alf. Mizzi and Sons Ltd centenary celebrations in 2015. Mr. Sammut assured the project leaders that TAMF will be taking a keen interest in their work and will continue to assist the projects up to its completition.

Other major sponsors include the University's Research and Innovation Development Trust (RIDT) and Atlas Insurance, both of whom were also represented at the launch. Special thanks are due to the Parliamentary Secretariat for Health for facilitating access to the health centres and clinics, together with supporting most routine laboratory testing that will be required for the study.

SAĦĦTEK will focus mainly on one of the diseases that afflicts a large proportion of the Maltese population - diabetes.  The aim is to study in greater detail -the burden of this condition in our population, together with a close look at all related risk factors.  This should complement the generic health survey currently underway by the Directorate for Health Information & Research within the Ministry for Energy and Health, by the name European Health Interview Survey.  It 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 is likely to be completed in two years. The project team will be visiting different localities using the facilities provided at the local health clinics (bereġ) and health centres in order to perform the free health check ups 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 will provide  a precise estimate of the prevalence of diabetes, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, together with the related conditions obesity and hypertension, as well as physical activity, tobacco and nutrition.

The study will explore the risk factors that are leading to these conditions locally. It will also identify any links these important diseases, various lifestyle factors and genetics.  Among these risk factors lie the major causes predisposing our 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 our population.

SAĦĦTEK should also provide information about the proportion of the population with obesity, high blood pressure, regular physical activity, smoking habits, regular alcohol consumption and nutritional patterns from among the Maltese population. This should supplement the information currently available about the health of the Maltese population available for our 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 - SAĦĦTEK, were urged to accept the invitation, undertake the free check up and contribute towards informing the planning of health policyin 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 make this venture possible.