“Campania remains last in terms of resources for the health sector”

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Thirty-eight research, diagnostic and facility laboratories to which another 7 could be added by building another already authorized plan, approximately 300 employees, researchers, doctoral students and students, 21 studies for ‘principal investigators’, 204 scientific works published last year last year, approximately 207 thousand diagnostic services provided in 2023. And again, over 56 thousand screenings carried out on children at birth last year and over 39 thousand newborns screened in one year for SMAof which 5 tested positive and underwent therapy, starting from the 21st day of life, at theSantobono-Pausillipon Hospital. These are some of the numbers of Ceinge, a research and diagnostic center, which celebrates 40 years since its foundation and 20 years of its headquarters located within the Federico II University Hospital of Naples. Ceinge is the single regional center for newborn screening in Campania, an activity it also carries out for the Calabria region. To remember the work carried out to date and the “great potential” that the Center has, was the CEO, Mariano Justinwho underlined how “the future development of Ceinge will also pass through a growth of its organizational model with the ‘One Health’ methodological approach and the development of activities in the fields of forensic sciences, nutraceuticals, nutrition and lifestyles, the environment , of the plant and animal world”. The main areas in which Ceinge operates are: rare genetic diseases, oncological diseases (solid and blood tumors), neurodegenerative diseases, microbiome and nutrition in children, covid-post covid and related diseases. Activities that – underlined Giustino – “are carried out thanks to a portfolio of projects co-financed with European, national, regional, foundation and private company funds”. And on the subject of European funds, the CEO emphasized the fact that “in a moment of Pnrr, Ceinge is a structure that due to its configuration and organization does not have easy access to these Pnrr funds, indeed it has very little”.
Hence the invitation to all institutions “to ever greater financial support for research”.

“We have the best disposition to follow up on Professor Salvatore’s intuitions. We would like to give continuity to this intuition and the extraordinary work it has produced: a reality of excellence and we will do everything not only to keep it alive, but to develop it. We are ready to welcome the most creative projects, but always remember the small detail related to resources.” The president of the Campania Region, Vincenzo, said this DeLuca, spoke at the ceremony to celebrate 40 years since the establishment of Ceinge and 20 years since the inauguration of the headquarters within the Federico II university hospital. De Luca recalled how important Ceinge’s help was during the covid pandemic and claimed the “excellent” services provided to citizens: “We are the only region in Italy that offers free newborn screening to identify rare diseases and to combat muscle atrophy in particular. Thanks to this, many newborns have already been saved and have been able to benefit from treatment 20 days after birth. It is truly – he continued – one of the many points of excellence in healthcare in our region, but obviously this means providing resources because, it must be remembered, that Ceinge is a public structure which is indeed of great quality, but requires financing continued by the Region otherwise Ceinge dies and we must defend this reality”.

VACCINES – “The Campania Region has invested 140 million euros in cancer research and today both a vaccine against breast and colon cancer is being tested in clinical trials. It was our great ambition when we decided to allocate massive resources for oncology research.” Thus the president of the Campania Region, Vincenzo De Luca, during his speech at the celebrations for the fortieth anniversary of Ceinge, adding that “if we managed to produce a vaccine against cancer, or at least against some types, it would be a source of great satisfaction and an honor for all of us and perhaps – he underlined – we would even be able to produce an image of modern Naples and Campania. But don’t tell anyone otherwise they will get ‘angry’, starting with some ramshackle minister of this ramshackle Republic.”

HEALTH – “We must continue the battle because from the point of view of the distribution of healthcare resources, Campania remains the last region in Italy. It is a national shame and we must fight to snatch every year, not just the average per capita resource, which all Italian citizens have, but at least to get closer to the national average”. This was stated by Vincenzo De Luca, president of the Campania Region, on the occasion of the ceremony to celebrate 40 years since the establishment of Ceinge.
The President of the Region addressed an appeal to the audience “to make us feel because it is truly no longer tolerable that Campania should receive less than all the regions of Italy. I think we should fight more, be less distracted and be less inclined to be everyone’s friend. We must learn to defend our rights, defend public health which then means defending poor people.”