A direct and positive comparison, far from ideological conflicts and centered on operational priorities. Regional councilor Enzo Bruno, group leader of “Tridico Presidente”, flanked by doctors Lino Puzzonia and Pasquale Muccari, met with the extraordinary commissioner of the “Dulbecco” hospital-university company, Simona Carbone, to talk about strategic and central issues of Catanzaro healthcare.
The line that emerged from the discussion was clear: before discussing new hospitals, it is necessary to make the existing ones fully efficient, intervening decisively in the most delicate sectors – oncology, advanced diagnostics and emergency-urgency.
Technological efficiency against the risk of immobility
One of the central steps concerned the prospect of the new hospital. It was underlined that a work of this magnitude would require a long time with the risk of immobilizing resources that are currently needed to address immediate critical issues. The priority indicated is therefore investment in advanced technology, robotics, high specialization and strengthening of diagnostic imaging: fundamental tools for reducing waiting lists and making the area more attractive for professionals and patients.
The new emergency room and German-Pugliese integration
Also on the table is the project for the new emergency room in Germaneto. Commissioner Carbone confirmed that the project exists, has been updated and has been sent to Public Works for technical and financial evaluation, with an investment estimated at around four million euros.
However, the issue is not just construction. The Polyclinic – Mater Domini facility in the Germaneto area – was born as a structure with a predominantly elective vocation, while the response to time-dependent pathologies (with the exception of cardiological ones for which the facility already responds) – trauma, stroke, complex emergencies – falls under the Emergency-Urgency Department of the “Pugliese”. The proposed solution is that of an integrated model: a single emergency system coordinated across two locations, with clear protocols for 118 and unitary management, avoiding overlaps and fragmentation.
Health mobility and strengthening of nuclear medicine
The topic of oncological checks is particularly felt. It has been highlighted that many patients, especially for PET and nuclear medicine examinations, are still forced to travel outside the region. A healthcare mobility that does not represent a choice, but a necessity linked to the limited local production capacity.
The tender for the new PET of the “Mater Domini” garrison, assures Commissioner Carbone, has been concluded and the machine should be operational within a few months; at the “Pugliese” garrison the remodulation of funds is underway to strengthen the equipment, while a mobile PET is currently in operation in a transitional phase.
The personnel challenge and the hiring issue
But the problem is not just technological. In the comparison it clearly emerged that the main bottleneck remains the lack of nuclear doctors and specialized technicians. The announced competitions do not always produce candidates, also due to a national structural shortage of some specialties and the greater attractiveness of the private sector. Without adequate personnel, even new equipment risks not expressing its full potential. A question that requires planning, attractiveness policies and structural choices that go beyond the corporate dimension.
The restoration of the Ciaccio Antiblastic Drugs Unit
Regarding the Antiblastic Drugs Unit, considered strategic for the strengthening of the oncology path, as well as for the overall strengthening of diagnostics, an essential hub in reducing waiting lists, precise reassurances arrive: the UFA will be restored in a short time: the renovation works have already begun to bring the department back to the “Ciaccio” unit.
A hierarchy of priorities for the future of the system
The political meaning of the meeting was explicit: it is not about opposing a future vision, but about establishing a hierarchy of priorities. First guarantee citizens immediate responses, investing in technology, personnel and organization. Only in this way will it be possible to reduce passive mobility and rebuild trust in the local healthcare system.
A comparison that does not close the debate on the future, but brings it back to the field of concrete efficiency and operational solutions.