Malta’s health status is good when compared to the EU average, the World Health Organisations Regional Director for Europe said today.

Addressing a press conference with the Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne, Ms Zsuzanna Jakab said that this demonstrates that the right policies have been put in place.

More needs to be done to fight obesity in Europe, she said, with 50% of the European population being classed as overweight, and 20% as obese.

Malta will be launching the Food and Nutrition Policy and Action Plan to help tackle this problem.

Dr Fearne said Malta will be collaborating with the WHO on the issue of migrant health, and a one-day seminar is to be held on the topic.

He said Malta’s health priorities for the upcoming EU presidency were discussed during a meeting between the two, and tackling child obesity is going to be a primary concern for Malta.

A collaboration centre is going to be set up at the University of Malta. This centre will study health issues and their impact on islands and small nation states.

On the Ebola outbreak, Ms Jakab said the risk of spread in Europe is extremely low.

Dr Fearne spoke of the importance of exit screening in countries affected by the disease. He said that he raised his concerns about irregular migrants potentially carrying the disease to Malta.