The 2023 consolidated budget of Calabrian healthcare was closed with a surplus of 40 million. A further step, pending the improvement of health care levels, to make more credible the request to exit the commissionerate in force for almost 15 years that the leaders of the Region intend to make in the short term. And even if the Meloni government, at least in theory, would not be hostile to a return to ordinary management in Calabria, for the moment we must be satisfied with new commissioners. Like those arriving at the Vibo Valentia health authority “dissolved” by decision of the Council of Ministers due to the confirmed infiltration of the ‘Ndrangheta. An inevitable choice after the implications that emerged from the latest investigations conducted by the Catanzaro DDA on the alleged agreements between company managers and clan exponents in exchange for electoral support, the doubts about competitions and jobs in hospitals, the attacks on healthcare workers and the Army forced to guard the hospital entrance.
If everything goes smoothly, the commissioners will remain in Vibo Valentia for the next 18 months. It is not known whether by that date the Calabria decree, the special law passed in the spring of 2019 by the first Conte government to deal with the health emergency in this region, will still be in force. The last extension granted by Parliament will expire on December 31st. Until then, the commissioners who lead the regional health service companies will also remain in office. Five are currently in office: Simona Carboneengaged in the complex work of establishing the single hospital of Catanzaro; Antonio Battistini called to lead the ASP of the regional capital; Gianluigi Scaffidicurrent number one of the Great Metropolitan Hospital of Reggio Calabria; Antonio Brambillacommissioner responsible for managing the fate of the ASP of Crotone. All things considered, if we exclude the promotions to general manager (with a three-year term) of Antonio Graziano at the Asp of Cosenza, Lucia Di Furia at the Asp of Reggio e Vitaliano de Salazar at the “Annunziata” AO, all the SSR bodies are in the hands of extraordinary commissioners. On the other hand, he is also commissioner (ad acta). Roberto Occhiutoelected with broad consensus in autumn 2021, who fought hard to obtain this nomination from Palazzo Chigi.
