In Lombardy they are trying everything to give a breath of fresh air to the healthcare sector, dealing with an unprecedented emergency due to the shortage of doctors and nurses who continue to turn to the Canton of Ticino and private facilities. Speaking of breaths of fresh air, one could come from none other than Argentina and Paraguay. The regional councilor for Welfare Guido Bertolaso is convinced of this, as he illustrated the results of the mission in the two South American countries to which he visited in recent days in a recent press conference at Palazzo Lombardia. Objective: recruit healthcare personnel.
According to the Lombardy councilor for health, the local authorities have made it known that over 3,000 nurses and over 500 doctors have packed their bags to go to work in Lombardy. Bertolaso also stated that around fifty South American doctors have directly contacted the Welfare department expressing interest in a job in a hospital in Lombardy.
In short, Bertolaso’s mission to Argentina and Paraguay appears to have been a success: “The mission that has just concluded was a mission that had bilateral cooperation as its objective, without creating difficulties for the local structures, indeed in full energy with the Argentine and Paraguayan institutions and the local trade associations. The first nurses should be hired by December” said Bertolaso himself, who also informed that a new tender for the hiring of Italian doctors and nurses is being planned. “If this tender does not yield the desired results, tenders will be launched for staff coming from the countries with which the collaboration is initiated – continues Bertolaso -. Italian courses and professional refresher courses are currently being prepared, with recognition of the title for doctors and nurses interested in coming to Lombardy”.
Regarding the shortage of healthcare personnel in Lombardy, he stated: “We know well that the salary level is low and not related to the cost of living, particularly in large cities. But we are working on economic and other incentives.” MM
