“I am one of the many mothers from Messina who this morning suddenly discovered that she no longer had a pediatrician, without any warning whatsoever.”
Mrs. Simona Venuto retraces the steps of an odyssey: “The situation is truly shameful, as we have been looking for a pediatrician for almost a year because last winter, following the many retirements, the few pediatricians left were full of patients and there were no places to be found… So after months of searching, the ASP finally gave us a consolation prize and placed a pediatrics department in the Center, in Provinciale and we all finally rushed to get a place…”.
Then the bitter surprise: “This morning, just 6 months after his inauguration, I heard someone say to me: “Madam, they didn’t renew my contract, you no longer have a pediatrician” . Just like that, without any warning.
The mother takes it out on the ASP of Messina: “This story has been going on for over a year and we are fed up, where should a mother go if there are no more pediatricians available with the mutual in Messina, while privately you can find as many as you want, but I, like many others, cannot afford it, so what do we do? Do we clog up the emergency room? This situation has become a real joke and honestly you can’t play with health, especially when we are talking about children”.
Mrs. Simona Venuto launches an appeal: “Please help us bring this shameful story to light because it is a serious problem that concerns children throughout the city.”
The ASP’s response
The ASP’s response was not long in coming: “A new pediatrician has arrived on mobility from Milazzo; the doctor was holding a temporary position due to shortages, guaranteeing the period. Now there will be the owner”