In this Italian town, residents are ‘banned’ from falling ill

The town’s mayor ordered residents to stay healthy and “rest for majority of the time” as proper healthcare is 48km away.

The small Italian town of Belcastro has been attracting attention for an unusual proclamation issued by its mayor: “Getting seriously ill is prohibited.”

In the ruling issued by Mayor Antonio Torchia, the town’s residents are “ordered to avoid contracting any illness that requires medical assistance, especially an emergency.” He also asked people not to “engage in behaviors that may be harmful and to avoid domestic accidents.” In addition, they are commanded “not to leave the house too often, travel or practice sports, and to rest for the majority of the time.”

Tochia told local television that while “we take the decree with a bit of irony,” its main purpose is to draw attention to the town’s inadequate access to healthcare. This is because Belcastro, located in the southern region of Calabria, is one of Italy’s poorest towns.

It has a population of 1,200, with half of them over the age of 65. The health center that is supposed to provide them with primary care is often closed, and on-call doctors are not available on weekends, holidays, or after hours, the mayor said. Not only that, the nearest emergency room, located in the city of Catanzaro, is over 45km away and is only reachable by a road with a 30kmh speed limit. 

Belcastro’s 1,200 residents are crippled by the lack of proper healthcare, with 18 of the region’s hospitals closing down since 2009. Photo above by PiG sty/Flickr and banner photo by Giovanni Carrieri

According to BBC, the decline in the region’s healthcare system was caused by political mismanagement and the interference of the Mafia. Since then, hospitals have been under the administration of the central government, which has had difficulties tackling their vast levels of debt. 

As a result, Calabrians have been crippled by interminable waiting lists, lack of medical personnel, as well as hospital beds. Eighteen of the region’s hospitals have closed since 2009. All these led the mayor to believe it is necessary to “adopt an urgent and non-deferrable act of a precautionary nature.”

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In an interview with local news outlet Corriere della Calabria, Torchia said that the proclamation aims to call out to regional authorities and health officials to address the issue. “This is not just a provocation, the ordinance is a cry for help, a way to shine a spotlight on an unacceptable situation,” he stressed.

The mayor did not specify how the ordinance will be enforced, but he said that it will stay in effect until the town’s public health center is open regularly. 

“Come and live a week in our small village and try to feel safe, knowing that in the event of a health emergency, the only hope is to get to Catanzaro in time,” he added. “Try it and then tell me if this situation seems acceptable to you.” 

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Associate Editor

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