The mayor of a small town in Italy issued an order ‘banning’ illness in his community.
Mayor of Belcastro, Calabria, Antonio Torchia, decreed his small village of 1,300 people should not be sick.
The village has long struggled with inadequate healthcare, with the nearest emergency room being 27 miles away.
Over half of the village’s population is elderly – further exacerbating the issue, and leading to the January 5 decree.
Mayor Torchia described the decree as an ‘ironic provocation’ to highlight the severe shortcomings of the national healthcare system.
He explained that emergency medical services in Belcastro are available only intermittently due to staffing shortages.
The ordinance for Belcastro has urged residents to ‘avoid contracting any disease that requires medical intervention, especially emergency care, and to rest as much as possible.’
But Mayor Torchia admitted the situation is unsustainable and said his previous efforts, such as sending certified emails to the Provincial Health Authority and the Prefecture of Catanzaro, have gone unanswered since June of last year.
Torchia has said if no improvements are made soon, he will file a formal complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
He intends to request an investigation into the alleged ‘interruption of public service’ by public authorities responsible for the healthcare crisis in the village.
But Mayor Torchia said his latest attempt to get the issue resolved has attracted more attention than he expected – which he hopes will prompt swift action to resolve the situation.
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