The alarm: «Within five years, half of Sardinia will be without general practitioners»
According to the Public Accounts Observatory, 719 professionals will retire by the end of 2028. Only 70 replace them, because the new doctors choose other jobs, with better working conditions
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Half of Sardinia without family doctors in the next five years. The cry of alarm comes from the regional secretary of the SMI (Italian Doctors Union) Luciano Congiu .
The cuts to healthcare will lead to a significant reduction in general practitioners on the island and throughout Italy. A real emergency: «Already today – observes Congiu – many Sardinian citizens are suffering the heavy consequences of a shortage of general practitioners which affects various areas of the island».
But the situation is destined to get worse. The Italian Public Accounts Observatory has in fact drawn up a national and regional study. The scenario for the island sees the retirement of 719 doctors by the end of 2028, while there should be only 70 new ones . A deficit of 649 units which is part of an already critical situation.
«The number of doctors currently working in Sardinia – explains Congiu – is just under a thousand, compared to 1.4 million inhabitants of non-pediatric age. Therefore , more than half of the family doctors currently employed will leave and will not be replaced by new doctors, because the latter are increasingly choosing other types of employment with better working conditions ."
In short, "if this trend is not reversed with serious and effective policies - is the warning - at least half of the Sardinian population will remain without a family doctor ".
A dramatic prospect, which could lead to the end of community medicine and the beginning of real privatization policies. The trade unionist gives the example of Veneto: «In the province of Padua the shortages are addressed with choices to support the profession, but with the use of family doctors from private healthcare companies, with an average cost of 50 euros per visit for the patients ".
Congiu continues, this has been achieved with the health policies of the last 20 years of linear cuts (37 billion in a decade) consisting mainly in staff reductions . So far, "the work and sacrifice of professionals" have put a barrier in place, but "a new season of investments for public health" can no longer be postponed .
The differentiated autonomy project fits into an already gloomy picture, concludes the trade unionist. The greater autonomy in the health sector, requested by the Regions with the best performances, "will only amplify inequalities and legitimize the gap between North and South" .
(Unioneonline/L)
