A small Italian village has humorously "banned" its residents from becoming seriously ill, highlighting the dire state of its healthcare system. Belcastro, located in Calabria, one of Italy's poorest regions, has issued a decree ordering residents to "avoid contracting illnesses requiring emergency medical assistance," according to Mayor Antonio Torchia.
Mayor Torchia clarified that
the decree is a "humorous provocation," designed to draw attention to
the village's healthcare challenges, which his previous urgent notices to
regional authorities failed to resolve. With approximately half of Belcastro’s
1,200 residents aged over 65, the nearest Accident & Emergency (A&E)
department is over 45km (28 miles) away, accessible only via a road with a 30km/h
(18mph) speed limit.
The village's on-call doctor
service operates sporadically, providing no coverage on weekends, holidays, or
outside normal hours. Torchia expressed concerns during a television interview,
stating it’s difficult to "feel safe when assistance depends on reaching
A&E in time," adding that the poor road infrastructure poses as much
risk as illness itself.
As part of the decree,
residents are advised to avoid behaviors that could lead to injury, steer clear
of domestic accidents, minimize travel, and prioritize rest. Enforcement of
these rules remains uncertain.
The decree sheds light on
Calabria's long-standing healthcare crisis. Years of political mismanagement
and mafia interference have severely weakened the region's medical
infrastructure, which has been under central government administration for
nearly 15 years. Hospitals face crippling debt, a lack of medical personnel and
equipment, and lengthy waiting lists. Since 2009, 18 hospitals in the region
have closed, forcing nearly half of Calabria’s two million residents to seek
medical care elsewhere.
In 2022, Cuba agreed to send
497 doctors to Calabria over three years to address staffing shortages.
Regional governor Roberto Occhiuto credited these doctors with
"saving" the region’s hospitals.
Belcastro residents have
largely supported Mayor Torchia’s initiative. Some have praised him for drawing
attention to the critical issue, with one resident saying, "He used a
provocative decree to attract attention to a serious problem," adding that
it may "shake consciences" and spark action.
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