The application of Law 194 in Lombardy “still presents deficiencies and inhomogeneity in access to services” and “the presence of the Life Help Centers (Cav) in the counseling centers puts women’s freedom of choice at risk and puts the staff of the territorial garrisons”. This was stated by the regional councilor of the Democratic Party Paola Bocci, who yesterday, together with the group leader at Pirellone Pierfrancesco Majorino, presented the data of the tenth annual monitoring on the application of Law 194 in the region, carried out by the democrats. In Lombardy in 2023, there were a total of 11,147 voluntary terminations of pregnancy, down compared to the pre-Covid period (2019) and in line with 2022. As regards the administration of the RU486 pill, there are still significant differences between provinces and hospitals and , although increasing in 2023, are approximately 49% of total voluntary terminations of pregnancy (IVG).
No RU486 in 11 out of 50 facilities
“There are still 11 out of 50 public facilities in Lombardy that do not offer the possibility of IVG with RU486,” explained Bocci. Lodi is still the province with the highest percentage of RU486 with 78%, Brescia, Cremona, Milan City, Monza and Brianza, Sondrio, Como are under 50%, the province of Milan is last at 29%.
Regarding conscientious objection, in 2023, in Lombardy, 50 out of 62 public structures will provide the service, with the phenomenon still having peaks of over 70% in the province of Bergamo, and above in individual hospitals. The general average is around 53%, while 64% of facilities have an objection greater than 50%.
“Despite some small progress, thanks also to our work of monitoring and reporting critical situations, the situation still presents shortcomings and inhomogeneities, including serious ones, in access to services and in the possibility of deciding on the procedure. With an imminent danger: the presence of pro-lifers in public clinics who risk heavily interfering with the work of operators and hindering and limiting women’s freedom of choice. For this reason we will collect reports on any problems that may arise”, is the summary of Bocci and Majorino’s interventions.
“Lombardy, emblem of healthcare collapse”
“Our secretary Elly Schlein, in the square in Milan, said that the Meloni Government has done nothing regarding healthcare except support and help pro-lifers. The Lombardy region risks becoming the story of all this. And the facts say it: zero initiatives for the Lombardy social and health service, to address the issue of waiting lists, to support the development of public health. Apart from some exotic trips by councilor Bertolaso. On the contrary, we are witnessing a significant opening of credit towards pro-life groups which has already manifested itself with a recent motion in the Regional Council”.
“The Region should monitor, have everything under control and intervene as an institution to guarantee the right to service everywhere, giving clear and binding directives to the Asst, both to ensure that Lombard women have access to IVG in all its aspects, even in the event of objection at 100%, both to rebalance performance among staff, respecting the multidisciplinarity of the profession. Furthermore, the Region must formally request healthcare companies that both services be provided in all public hospital facilities, encouraging the use of RU486, and strengthen public clinics, so that the provision of pharmacological therapy also takes place in these territorial facilities”, concluded Bocci, reiterating “the need for post-IVG contraceptives, but not only, to be offered free of charge to those who request them, in particular to minors and fragile people”.
