Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1021976
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 SEPTEMBER 2018 JAMES DEBONO A fifth of patients born before 1997 with congenital heart dis- ease stopped receiving follow- up care by specialists, a study published in the Malta Medical Journal has revealed. Since complete cure in cases of congenital heart disease is rare- ly achieved, lifelong specialist care is required to ensure early detection and the timely man- agement of cardiac lesions and arrhythmias as these patients grow older. And the main risk of patients falling out of the grid is that they would only present themselves when it is too late to get proper cure. The study also shows the ef- fectiveness of recall calls made by the health authorities: a let- ter inviting these patients for a check-up resulted in 33 out of the 41 'lost' patients being ex- amined again. Five of these were found to suffer from "significant" heart disease which in some cases re- quired surgery. The study published in the Malta Medical journal shows that all 41 patients that had been lost to follow-up care were recalled to the GUCH (Grown Up with Congenital Hear) clinic through a postal appointment, with a second appointment given in case of a negative initial response. The study shows that Malta has a higher rate of follow-up than other countries like Cana- da, where a study showed that 61% of patients were not being seen by a cardiologist by the age of 22. Among the reasons for the relatively higher rate of follow- up in Malta is shorter distance to hospitals, the universal ac- cess to free medical care and the concentration of specialist care in one main centre. But the authors of the study are still concerned that over one-fifth of patients with mod- erate or severe CHD were lost to follow-up, despite this com- bination of favourable circum- stances. "This highlights the relative ease with which these patients can 'slip through the net' and underlines the importance of implementing a robust infra- structure to ensure their safe transfer from paediatric to adult care," the authors said. The article proposes a more effective transition process from paediatric to adult care and an identification of patients with social and financial issues who "may be at higher risk of default- ing future appointments." The study was conducted by Maryanne Caruana and Oskar Aquilina from the Department of Cardiology and by Victor Grech from the Department of Pediatrics. NEWS Amino Chemicals Ltd. is part of Aba Chemicals Corporation, Shanghai, who provides custom manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnological and agrochemical industries worldwide. Amino Chemicals is an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients manufacturer that has been developing innovative and proprietary processes since 1993. Amino Chemicals Warehouse Storekeeper - Full Time Reporting to the Procurement and Logistics Manager, the ideal candidate should preferably have : • Be in possession of a valid forklift/reach truck operator license. • 3 years minimum experience working in a Warehouse/Materials management/Manufacturing. • Be computer literate, preferably proficient in MS Office suite • Be accurate and meticulous in his work • Be fluent in English (fluency in Italian can be an asset) • Be a team player, having good communication skills • Must strictly adhere to Health & Safety rules and regulations continuous improvement • Previous experience working in a GMP environment will be considered an asset. Main Tasks : • Sampling, preparation and dispensing of chemical raw materials. • Receiving and stock control using E.R.P. • Export packaging and labelling of finished products. • General good housekeeping of the work area. We offer training and opportunities for professional growth and career enhancement. Those interested are to send their CV by e-mail to : HR@aminochemicals.com Career Opportunities Electrical Maintenance Technician - Full Time Reporting to the Technical Services Manager, the ideal candidate should preferably have : • A Maintenance or Service Engineering backgound • Conversant with standard / electrical workshop techniques (mechanical knowhow will be considered an asset) • Minimum 3 years experience in maintenance or related industries • Be fluent in English • Be able to work on his/her own initiative and is pro-active whereby his /her recommendations would be considered an asset • Be able to work in a team to promote permanent solutions for continuous improvement Main Tasks : • Routine Preventive Maintenance, Fault Finding and Repair on plant equipment as per manufacturer's recommendations • Preparation and knowledge of instrumentation is considered an asset Lost patients of the heart One in five born with heart disease stop seeking cure when adults Malta has a higher rate of follow-up than other countries like Canada, where a study showed that 61% of patients were not being seen by a cardiologist by the age of 22 PHOTO BY ROBINA WEERMEIJER ON UNSPLASH