The Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) & Fibromyalgia (FM) Alliance has condemned the benefits fraud abuse, questioning why people suffering with Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis are being consecutively told that there are not enough funds to even consider giving them benefits.
"It is very disheartening to learn that, political persons who are supposedly elected in the Maltese Parliament to help their constituents and the Maltese citizens, are instead abusing of their power. This brings to light the questions: Why are persons diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis being consecutively told that there are not enough funds to even consider giving them benefits?" the alliance asks.
It was recently reported in The Sunday Times that former Labour MP Silvio Grixti was implicated in a scandal that allegedly enabled hundreds of people to receive disability benefits which they were not entitled to.
The UK's NHS website describes Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), as a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. It describes Myalgic encephalomyelitis, also called chronic fatigue syndrome or ME/CFS, as a long-term condition with a wide range of symptoms. The most common symptom is extreme tiredness.
"Why are certain services at Mater Dei, discontinued after six or ten sessions when we are living with a chronic illness? To what extent would it affect the Maltese economy had these patients be recognised as disabled, therefore able to benefit from social security benefits? Why are patients with FM and ME not being given medication on a personal bases as needed, but rather a one-size fits all regimen? Why is home help still not being evaluated when these persons need so much help?"
The alliance said that, as an NGO, it has been advocating for these two disabling chronic illnesses since 2013, "which affect between 0.2% to 0.5% for ME and 2% to 5% of the population for FM."
"Some improvements have been made, especially being acknowledged as an illness, being put on the Pharmacy of Your Choice list given three types of medication and being paid by the government from the first day of sick leave for the employed diagnosed with FM or ME. Still more needs to be done to truly and fully address the difficulties encountered by the sufferers and their families which mainly include financial burden, loss of work and mental health issues, amongst many other debilitating comorbid illnesses."
"Therefore, such news of abuse brings reasonable anger and questions arise from those who up to now continue to suffer in the silence of their homes."