Italian Mayor Issues Satirical Ban on Illness to Protest Healthcare Crisis

Belcastro's mayor highlights dire medical shortages in his village, where residents lack reliable access to emergency care.

Mayor Antonio Torchia of Belcastro, a village in Calabria, issued a decree 'banning' illness to draw attention to inadequate healthcare services.
The village, with over half of its 1,300 residents aged 65 or older, has no after-hours medical services and the nearest hospital is 45 kilometers away.
Torchia described the decree as an 'ironic provocation' after repeated pleas to regional health authorities went unanswered since June 2024.
The healthcare crisis in Calabria, one of Italy's poorest regions, has been exacerbated by chronic underfunding, staff shortages, and poor infrastructure.
The mayor's actions have garnered significant media attention, which he hopes will prompt authorities to address the healthcare system's failings.