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3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 3 DECEMBER 2025 NEWS MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 The study published in the Mal- ta Medical Journal and authored by Anthony Scerri and Charles Scerri, provides the most detailed assessment to date of dementia prevalence in Malta, incorporat- ing data from the 2021 Census and applying age-and-sex-specific prevalence rates published by the World Health Organisation for the European region. Using Eurostat's latest long- term population projections, the authors produced updated esti- mates for the coming decades, showing significantly higher fu- ture numbers than earlier fore- casts. For the first time, the study also identifies the number of non-Maltese residents with de- mentia. It reports that 422 people in 2021—5.3% of all persons with dementia—were non-Maltese citizens. This reflects the coun- try's rapid demographic change: by 2021, 22.2% of Malta's total population was non-Maltese, compared with just 4.4% a decade earlier. The authors note that as Malta's foreign-born population continues to grow, dementia ser- vices will need to adapt to increas- ingly diverse linguistic and cultur- al needs. The study highlights distinct geographic differences. In 2021, the Northern Harbour district accounted for the largest share of dementia cases (29%) in absolute terms. However, when measured as a proportion of each district's population, the Southern Har- bour district had the highest rel- ative prevalence. The authors argue that understanding these district-level variations is impor- tant for planning community ser- vices and allocating resources. The economic implications are significant. The total cost of de- mentia in 2021 was estimated between €220 million and €260 million, encompassing formal healthcare, social care and infor- mal care. The study does not pub- lish projected future costs, but notes that expenditure is expect- ed to rise substantially in line with the projected increase in cases. The demographic shifts under- lying these projections are also detailed in the study. According to the 2021 Census, 24.8% of Mal- ta's population—128,930 peo- ple—were aged 60 or over, under- scoring the impact of population ageing. The age-dependency ratio rose from 23.7 in 2011 to 27.6 in 2021, although it remains below the EU average due to the influx of younger non-Maltese workers. The authors note that earlier Maltese and international esti- mates relied on population mod- els that did not anticipate Malta's rapid population expansion. For example, Alzheimer Europe's es- timate of 14,117 dementia cases by 2050 and the Global Burden of Disease estimate of 11,674 were based on projected population to- tals far lower than those produced by Eurostat's current models. Under the updated projections, the number of dementia cases in 2060 is expected to be more than 1.5 times higher than pre- viously forecast. Still the authors acknowledge that a large portion of non-EU citizens tend to move back to their country of origin and are then replaced by other young working migrants. The report concludes that Malta will need to expand its health and social care capacity to meet rising demand in the coming decades. It also stresses the importance of public health measures aimed at reducing modifiable dementia risk factors, including hyperten- sion, obesity, smoking, diabetes, depression, physical inactivity, social isolation and hearing loss. Evidence cited in the study sug- gests that addressing these factors across the lifespan could reduce future dementia prevalence by up to 40%. The authors state that the up- dated estimates are intended to support long-term planning and help policymakers prepare for the scale of future needs as Malta's population continues to grow and age. Malta expected to have 21,523 dementia cases by 2060 if current trends persist The research estimates that 7,988 people were living with dementia in 2021, equivalent to 1.5% of the population, and forecasts an increase to 21,523 cases by 2060 Roderick Galdes downplays concerns over his growing list of properties AFFORDABLE Housing Min- ister Rodercik Galdes has downplayed concerns raised after it was revealed that he had bought a duplex penthouse including a garage and airspace for just €140,000. Galdes bought the penthouse in Victoria in 2021 from de- veloper Joseph Portelli, as the minister insists the price was for a property in shell form. Doorstepped outside of Cas- tille on Tuesday, Galdes was asked whether he displayed bad judgement when he bought the penthouse from Portelli, a developer who boasts his close contact to politicians. Almost instinctively, Galdes reassured MaltaToday that he paid for the penthouse and that he still has a loan to pay. "If you buy property in Gozo, many people know who the contractors are," Galdes said, adding, "I don't think I was the only one who bought [proper- ty]." The minister insisted that the matter was personal, stressing that he acted according to the law. He then attempted to down- play the gravity of the contro- versy, insisting that he bought the property on plan and in shell form. "It's not true that this is some luxury property," Galdes said, adding that the penthouse only has four rooms. Galdes was also questioned on how he was able to purchase a number of properties with a minister's salary. According to past ministerial declarations, Galdes owns homes in Luqa, Xagħra, Qormi, Siġġiewi, Mid- dlesex, and Sicily. The minister reminded that he has been an MP since 2004 and claimed that he was always transparent when declaring his assets, telling this newspaper he has "family assets." Galdes joked that most of his properties were bought under a Nationalist government. "God forbid a minister can't buy property for his family," he said, explaining that the house in Sicily was bought in 2008 in the midst of the financial crisis. Housing Minister Roderick Galdes was doorstepped outside of Castille on Tuesday (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)