The future of the new hospital and the conditions of the current one. On the menu of the city council the other evening, various topics related to health found space, including those that more closely concern the infrastructural equipment of ASL 5.
The first opportunity was represented by the question time presented by the municipal councilors of the Democratic Party.
“Another 40 days have passed – explained councilor Marco Raffaelli – since we asked the mayor if the legal affairs of the President of the Region Giovanni Toti could not have repercussions on the work of the new hospital: he replied that everything was in order and that we were facing to the last days of checks by Rina chek. Since the contract in Pessina was withdrawn we have seen numerous delays accumulate: according to the Region’s timetable the works were supposed to start a year ago, in June 2023, and the delivery of the work should have taken place in October 2025. Today the construction site should having arrived at the construction of the second floor to start working on the facades. However, the Felettino gates were not even crossed by Guerrato. Meanwhile, people from La Spezia continue to use dilapidated structures and staff to work in unacceptable conditions. Why, mayor, didn’t you say anything about these delays? On Friday there were more than a thousand people from La Spezia in the square, tired of hearing stories about healthcare. The administration beats its fists and asks for clear times and procedures.”
The response did not come from the mayor Pierluigi Peracchini, but from the municipal health councilor Giulio Guerri, who in his speech reported some passages of the communication received from the Liguria Region, which through Ire follows the contract for the new hospital on behalf of ASL 5 .
“Having completed all the relevant technical requirements, our administration continues to follow the practice with continuous contacts with the Region, Local Health Authority and Ire to have all the updates and to understand the needs and expectations of our community for this work, always with commitment, determination and spirit of service. Today the project – read Guerri – is still in a verification phase by Rina check on behalf of the contracting authority, a step which required in-depth technical analyzes to evaluate technical solutions proposed by the designers which require a further preliminary investigation phase. This additional verification, however, does not affect the pre-established timetable, which provides for the completion of the works by the end of 2026, for a duration of 850 days. The administration – concluded the councilor – will continue to follow the practice with great attention and consistency until the final objective is achieved”.
The second act among the agenda items focused on hospital structures also saw the dem Raffaelli and councilor Guerri as protagonists. This time the opportunity came from the question filed in recent weeks by the councilor following the discovery of asbestos in the floor of the Radiodiagnostica 1 structure in the central pavilion.
“We know that ASL 5 communicated that it had immediately commissioned a company for the removal, but we wonder if there were any repercussions for patients or staff. And we would also like to know – said Raffaelli – if the health company has also found the presence of asbestos in other areas of the city hospital”.
Also in this case Guerri read the communication received, this time signed by the general director of ASL 5, Paolo Cavagnaro. “The company announces that it has proceeded with the characterization of the work environments, as required by law, and that overall the presence of asbestos has emerged, not only in five radiodiagnostic rooms (doctors’ offices and waiting room), but also in the flooring and in the walls of service corridors, in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department and operating room and in the outpatient clinic of the Cardiology department. The analyzes were entrusted to a specialized laboratory and at the same time meetings were held with workers’ safety representatives. The search for airborne fibers was carried out with two sampling methods and the results were significantly lower than the legal limits, with results that excluded the presence of asbestos in the air. The securing of the environments has begun, which will be followed by a monitoring phase. The removal of the floors from Radiodiagnostica will start on June 24th: the works will last a month and will not affect the provision of the service”.
“From the initial amazement I am now shocked – commented Raffaelli – to learn that asbestos has been found in so many parts of the hospital to which people from La Spezia go. And not exclusively in places accessible only to staff, as ASL had said for Radiodiagnostics (as if this were a minor problem…) but also in parts of the structure where patients and all those who accompany them pass and wait. But above all I wonder: is it possible that if a councilor were not interested in the presence of asbestos inside a healthcare facility, asking specific questions to the local healthcare company responsible for people’s health, no institution would intervene spontaneously and immediately inform citizens that every day do they go to Sant’Andrea, not even thinking that they might come into contact with a harmful material such as asbestos?”.
