In recent months, Italy, particularly the southern regions, has witnessed a surge in violent attacks on healthcare professionals. These incidents often follow the deaths of patients, with their grieving relatives and friends turning their anger toward doctors and hospital staff. A key turning point occurred when the Policlinico hospital in Foggia, southern Italy, was attacked three times within ten days.
As violence against healthcare workers increased, hundreds of doctors, nurses, and other medical staff began protesting across southern Italy. They demanded that the government deploy the army to protect hospitals and their employees. This protest was strongly supported by Italy's largest medical union, Anaao-Assomed, as well as the National Federation of Doctors.
The most recent attack on Policlinico hospital was triggered by the death of a 23-year-old woman in the emergency ward. About 50 of her relatives and friends stormed the hospital, physically assaulting several doctors. Some doctors were forced to barricade themselves in a room, holding the door shut to protect themselves from the attackers. A video of the incident quickly went viral, drawing global attention to the alarming situation.
Investigations have revealed that in 2023 alone, nearly 16,000 cases of physical and verbal assaults have been reported against the country’s 18,000 doctors and healthcare workers. Another violent incident occurred in Pescara, in the Abruzzo region, where 40 relatives of a cancer patient attacked the hospital.
We have never seen such levels of aggression in the past decade. We are now at a point where considering military protection in hospitals is no longer a far-fetched idea. We cannot wait any longer.Antonio De Palma, President of the Nursing Up Union
The widespread protests by medical professionals led to swift action from authorities. Prefect Paolo Giovanni Grieco issued a notice confirming that the army would be deployed to safeguard hospitals and their staff. Additionally, Health Minister Orazio Schillaci and the Justice Minister discussed several countermeasures, including apprehending the perpetrators within 48 hours of an attack and banning those involved from accessing free healthcare services for three years.
In response to these events, the Italian Federation of Medical-Scientific Societies has called for additional security measures, such as installing metal detectors, surveillance cameras, and hiring more security personnel. The growing unrest is attributed to Italy’s ongoing healthcare staffing crisis. Low pay, long working hours, and overwork have severely strained the country’s medical workforce. Long waiting times for patients have also led to increased frustration, with reports indicating that half of the emergency department positions remain unfilled.
This situation has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many doctors left the country in search of better opportunities, with approximately 30,000 healthcare professionals emigrating between 2010 and 2020. Furthermore, 111 hospitals were forced to shut down due to these shortages, compounding the healthcare crisis.
Reference :
1.GIADA ZAMPANO Associated Press & ABC News. (2024, September 16). Italian army will guard a hospital after attacks on medical workers. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/italian-army-guard-hospital-after-attacks-medical-workers-113712586
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)