The fifth and last available makeshift Intensive Therapy Unit has been opened and is already full, and ITU resources could run out “within hours,” the association of anaesthesiologists said.
AAM also warned that Malta is “losing the battle” at a time when it should have been “wiser and more prepared.”
The association said it is gravely concerned about the situation the health system is in.
“The massive spike in the number of new infections has, as expected, translated into a surge in the number of patients requiring intensive care. Over the past 24 hours, the fifth intensive care unit has been opened and is now practically full. This was the lat available improvised intensive care unit on the island.”
“So far, the situation has been contained thanks to the extraordinary hard work and effort that was put in by the anaesthetists and the nurses working in intensive care. This has invariably resulted in burnout throughout all grades; in spite of this, our anaesthetists have persevered and kept their service provision and commitments across the whole hospital and beyond, constantly saving lives. Moreover, they have maintained the service of providing anaesthesia for emergency and elective surgery including cancer surgery.”
Sadly, it said, the time has come to declare that even this has now become unsustainable.
“The next unfortunate step that will follow is that resources for intensive care become completely exhausted in a matter of days, if not hours. The age of the patients being admitted to intensive care is getting younger and younger.”
The AAM strongly urged the authorities to avoid a situation where intensive care resources will not be available to all those who need it.
“The number of fatalities in this scenario would be exponential. This is what has happened to our neighbouring countries way back in March 2020 when the world was not prepared for the virus. Unfortunately, we seem to be losing the battle now, one year on, when we should have been wiser and more prepared.”
This statement was endorsed by the following medical associations:
Association of Emergency Physicians of Malta
Association of Orthopaedic and Trauma surgeons
Association of Physicians of Malta
Association of Surgeons of Malta
Malta Association of Otorhinolaryngologists and Head and Neck Surgeons
Malta Association of Psychiatry
Malta Association of Public Health Medicine
Malta Association of Ophthalmologists
Maltese Association of Radiologists and Nuclear Medicine Physicians
Malta College of Family Doctors
Malta College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Malta College of Pathologists