The Italian Pensioners Union of the CGIL of Matera, with a note signed by its general secretary Eustace Nicoletti“DENOUNCES the persistence of the DRAMATIC CONDITION of the Matera Healthcare System, within the regional criticalities, aggravated by the failure to sign the agreement on services between Puglia and the Basilicata Region which, in clear violation of the right to health established by article 32 of our Constitution”, creates the impossibility for Lucanian citizens and in particular the most fragile categories (elderly), resident in the territories bordering the Apulian-Lucanian territory, to be able to turn to the Miulli hospital in Acquaviva delle Fonti to shorten the times of health services. (https://giornalemio.it/salute-e-benessere/lospedale-miulli-interrompera-le-prestazioni-sanitarie-ai-residenti-in-basilicata-dal-1-luglio/)” “A situation -defined by the SPI of Matera- dangerous because the interruption of important and delicate healthcare services such as SSN Outpatient Activities (including Oncology and Radiotherapy visits), diagnostic instrumental tests (CT, MRI, Endoscopies, etc.) and Scheduled Ordinary Hospitalizations, and/or Day service and Day surgery interventions, for Urgent Hospitalizations including priorities related to the birth event, exposes all citizens to objective risks, particularly those in fragile conditions. A paradoxical situation because, the same supporters of the further degradation of the Lucanian health system and in particular that of Matera, in these months, busy in the various electoral competitions, today, for the negotiations related to the assignment of the seats, allow themselves to further postpone indefinitely the constitution of the regional executive leaving a delicate sector such as health without a government. A contradictory situation because, as emerges from the Listening Campaign entitled; “The right to be treated – for a public and universal health service” promoted by the SPI CGIL of Basilicata, the Lucanians who make most use of the health service outside the region and in particular the Apulian/Puglia health service belong to the territories Bradanica – Medio Basento (44.8%), Matera (42.2%) and Metapontino – Collina materana (38.8%); percentages much higher than the regional average which stands at 33.9% of the sample where waiting times exceeding 6 months are found in the city of Matera 36%, in Alto Basento 33.5% and along the Bradanica – Medio Basento at 31.6%.”
“In short, citizens/users -adds Nicoletti- find themselves in the bottleneck between the DECLINE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN MATERANA which, due to the shortage of healthcare and administrative personnel (decreased overall from 2,462 employees present in 2010 to 1,911 present at 31.12.2022, with a reduction of 551 units, equal to more than 22%), is not able to respond to the health services provided by the LEAs and continues to accumulate deficiencies and delays in the provision of services and services and the impossibility of being able to turn to neighboring hospital facilities belonging to another region. Added to the absence of real decisions to address and resolve the problems that have festered in recent years is the current regional political-administrative immobility which:
• deprives this region of its regional health minister;
• postpones indefinitely the implementation of PNRR projects, such as community homes and hospitals, which are essential for improving the number of beds and the standards of medical staff;
• keeps the regional health plan stuck in some drawer, while waiting lists remain an acute problem;
• forces thirteen thousand Lucanians to seek treatment outside the region; one of the highest levels of health mobility in Italy, which is particularly acute in the Apulian-Lucanian and Metapontine areas, which historically have been forced to turn to the “Miulli” hospital in Acquaviva delle Fonti.”
Therefore, the SPI CGIL of Matera, –concludes the note– “interpreting the strong discomfort and, in some cases, the desperation expressed by citizens through reports, complaints and denunciations of alleged episodes attributable to “medical malpractice”, aggravated by the impossibility from 1 July 2024 of being able to contact extra-regional health and hospital facilities , ASKS the newly elected President of the Basilicata Regional Authority to sign the contractual agreement between the Puglia Region called “BORDER AGREEMENT” to restore the health services of: Scheduled hospitalization; Day Suyrgery; Day hospital; Day Service and Outpatient. In the event of no response, the SPI CGIL of Matera, in order to protect its members and all citizens, will implement all trade union and legal initiatives against the persistence of the inaction in actions aimed at reversing the dramatic state of the Matera healthcare system and against the political and administrative choices that undermine the right to health established by article 32 of our Constitution.”
Registered in the register of journalists of Basilicata.
