“The local epidemiological surveillance activity on cancer mortality in the province of La Spezia has been regulated by a specific agreement with the Municipality of La Spezia. Starting from 2022, after the expiry of the agreement itself, the production of data relating to the prevalence, incidence, survival and mortality of tumors in the Ligurian territory continues to be updated, but it is the responsibility of the Regional Cancer Registry, as the update has been approved of this Registry, which is headed by the SC Clinical Epidemiology of the San Martino Hospital, with the extension of the coverage of the Genoese Cancer Registry to the entire Ligurian population”. Thus the regional health councilor Angelo Gratarola in response to the question presented in the chamber by the regional councilor Paolo Ugolini on the reports regarding the data on cancer mortality in the La Spezia area.
“Starting from 2012 – continues councilor Gratarola – ASL 5, like all the other Ligurian ASLs, has contributed to the processing and publication by A.Li.Sa. of the Ligurian Health Profile which contains a system of health indicators with details of local health authorities, including mortality and hospitalization indicators. Starting from 2016, as part of the Regional Prevention Plans, the Region has also established the Environment-Health Table, made up of representatives of all the bodies affected by environmental/health problems”.
“The ASL5 no longer publishes updated data on cancer mortality in the province of La Spezia”, so in a post note I recommend the five-starred Ugolini. “The last report on cancer mortality dates back to the years between 1988 and 2006, while the analyzes on hospitalizations stop at 2013. For Gratarola, however, everything is ok. But in the real world, the update is a pipe dream. And to be aware of this, just consult the link that the councilor cited today in the Chamber in response to one of our questions”. Ugolini explains that the question asked “what initiatives the body intends to undertake to guarantee the publication of updated data to improve transparency and accessibility” and whether “epidemiological studies have been started to evaluate the impact of peaks in nitrogen dioxide on the health of citizens of La Spezia”. Ugolini concludes: “For the councilor, the answers we are looking for are contained in the ASL link (this is the link indicated in the chamber, ed.). And then all we have to do is invite the councilor himself to take a look at it”, complaining the M5s exponent who, under the heading Downloadable analyzes and reports, the data “for cancer mortality stop at the period 1988-2006; and for hospitalizations, for the period 2000-2013. Citizens demand transparency.”
