Overview
- Mayor Piero Castrataro began sleeping in a tent outside Ospedale Veneziale on December 26, saying the vigil will continue indefinitely to oppose further cuts in the regional health plan.
- In a video message, he said the aim is to mobilize joint efforts to recruit doctors, share staffing across facilities, and ease pressure on the hospital.
- He identified priorities including stabilizing emergency care and intensive care and preserving the maternity unit and cardiac catheterization service.
- Molise health authority Asrem criticized the initiative as instrumental, urged the mayor to focus on the city's attractiveness to young doctors, and highlighted investments and steps to link the hospital to the University of Molise training network.
- Asrem cited nationwide doctor shortages, noted health programming is set by the regional commissioner, and detailed planned upgrades to 118 and emergency department areas, while Castrataro said he hopes to meet the agency in the coming days.