“The resurgence of violence against healthcare personnel, with the latest episodes recorded in Soriano and Vibo, demonstrates, where there was any need, that beyond the contingent social alarm, coinciding with each single episode, the problem is still far from being resolved. All this, despite the official INAIL data being impressive to say the least, with an average of around 1600 attacks per year. Data which appear even more serious if observed from the gender point of view, because in addition 70% of the violence suffered concerns women. The circle closes dramatically by underlining that we are talking about official data that emerged following formal complaints. They know nothing about veiled threats, aggressive attitudes, verbal violence, which are also the order of the day within collapsing healthcare facilities such as emergency rooms. In short, it is a real emergency, of which everyone, starting with the institutions, is fully aware but in the face of which one has the feeling that little or nothing has been done and is being done.” This was stated by the deputy mayor of the Municipality of Catanzaro as well as president of the Regional Assembly of the PD, Giusy Iemma
“It is clear that the scale of the problem – according to Iemma – is such as to make it impossible to adopt immediately resolving measures. The violence in healthcare facilities arises in a context in which progressive cuts in public spending have compromised their functionality and organization. But this does not mean that there is nothing to be done and that we need to resign ourselves. We can operate on the level of prevention and therefore solicit a discussion with prefectures and law enforcement agencies so that the most at-risk situations can enjoy stable protection that guarantees safety. A hypothesis also contained in the regional law proposal presented by councilor Ernesto Alecci. Action can be taken to raise public awareness through targeted campaigns that make citizens better understand the difficult conditions in which healthcare facilities operate. But this regardit is politics that must take charge of optimizing every opportunity. The example of emergency rooms is emblematic: an unsustainable workload is maintained when it is known that the reorganization of local medicine could contribute decisively to its reduction, exactly as is happening in Emilia Romagna with the assistance and emergency centers for care and first aid. But politicians also have other responsibilities not only on a purely organizational level. Our thoughts inevitably turn to the Catanzaro affair, where the creation of the second emergency room within the newly formed Dulbecco company seems to extend well beyond the times that normal technical-bureaucratic complexities impose”.
“One thing – concluded Iemma – is however certain: it is no longer possible to continue from emergency to emergency. It is no longer possible to put the safety of healthcare workers at risk every day, who are already burdened with enormous responsibilities towards the patients they care for with scruple and self-sacrifice. There is an emergency underway and we cannot talk about it only after the damage has occurred, only to then forget about it the next day. We must intervene immediately, each according to their own responsibilities”.