President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca today called for the launch of a national screening for diabetes, saying that the gorwing numbers made this necessary for the condition to be tackled better.

Speaking at the National Conference Diabetes entitled "Type 2 Diabetes Across the World: The 21st Century epidemic", the President said that around 40,000 Maltese people were living with diabetes. 

Referring to a recent study called 'Your health,' one in eight Maltese adults between the ages of 25 and 64, suffer from diabetes. She said that nearly 10,000 of these are not even aware that they have diabetes. President Coleiro Preca said that diabetes is a national problem, and therefore requires a national solution.

President Coleiro Preca said that the stigma associated with people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, is causing a situation where fewer people are being tested and then given treatment, to improve the quality and the length of their lives.

"The higher the educational level, the less you find diabetic condition," the President said. The percentage of people with diabetes who have a low level of education is 10.8% while the percentage drops to 5.7% for people with medium level education and 4.2% among people with high level education.

President Coleiro Preca reiterated that the best hope we have for diabetes prevention in Malta, in Europe and beyond, is to invest more greater opportunities of education and awareness, so people can more sensitized to the need, take care of their health and wellbeing, through prevention.

The President also appealed to the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Department to further strengthen awareness and education. "There clearly is more that we can do in our lives, and the lives of our families to effectively reduce the risk of diabetes."

While speaking on the importance of placing prevention as a priority against diabetes, the President appealed to individuals who have a higher prevalence for this condition to adapt to a lifestyle of good health.