In Sardinia as Health Councilor for a while longer. Maybe a month, maybe less. Armando Bartolazzi will return to his job. He's certain that without him, Sardinia's healthcare system won't improve, given that he'll be leaving "after all the important things he's accomplished," such as "the oncology network with four world-class oncologists, including the director of the IEO, who is president of ESMO (European Society of Medical Oncology)." In short, the island "is missing out on a great opportunity."
Why doesn't he stay and be an assessor?
What I know is that the conditions are no longer there. This regional healthcare system is the result of thirty years of divisions. It needed someone from outside, someone who is outside the mainstream. Sardinian healthcare is twenty-five years behind schedule. I recently read an article about the Da Vinci system coming to Sassari. But the Da Vinci has existed since 1999. It's an obsolete system. We need to embrace the idea that healthcare must be a guarantee for people, and that it must be cross-cutting. Since I've been in Sardinia, we've treated SMA with molecular therapy, now we're starting with innovative therapy for thalassemia, and CAR-T.
Excuse me, but then why will Alessandra Todde give you up? Because she said she wants to put her face on the line?
"There's a lot being said, the problem is that if this situation goes ahead like this... for goodness sake, positions will be redistributed, which is what politicians always do, but basically people will come out to seek treatment. You won't be doing the IRCCS program again. Only Sardinia and Calabria don't have an IRCCS. I was in charge of all 46 IRCCSs in Italy in 2018 and 2019. I know all the steps. But I'm leaving the scene: it means the island will never again have the opportunity to establish a scientific hospital and treatment center, not even in thirty years. An opportunity has been missed."
Which the governor is giving up.
"These are calculations that he will later settle with politics, I don't know what to say."
Did she meet with Conte?
"I think so. However, I had set myself a limit. When I made the commitment on April 9, 2024, I said that to do the work I intended to do, I needed cross-disciplinary collaboration. I'm a doctor, not a politician. I've traveled the world in the most prestigious institutions. So I can say which therapies should be brought to Sardinia. I've been working in this field for 45 years. I came here, losing money and being away from my children. But for me, it was a challenge. You'll never have an opportunity like this again."
He was attacked a lot by the opposition, but now he is being removed by the majority that wanted him.
"I have more support in the opposition than I do internally. There's a scramble for positions within the government. Now there are new general managers. There's a whole reshuffle, and I won't put my face on this. I want to be a doctor and help people."
Have you thought about resigning before?
"They've been agreed upon now, but I proposed them twenty days ago, and even on the day of the no-confidence vote. Now Sardinia will lose out: the entire scientific community will rise up."
So he would have left regardless?
"I would have stayed if there had been a cross-party agreement that gave me carte blanche to reform services, deliver treatments, and make decisions for the people. There are 180 people in the Health Department, and I'm the only doctor; you have to write that down."
So she's leaving and it'll be a mess?
"No, no, I'm not saying that. I'm leaving, and there will be a healthcare policy exactly identical to the one we've had up to now."
That is, will the president promote a backward health care system?
«He's not promoting it, he'll leave it as it is».
He won't be a consultant, it seems.
«I'll help out, by phone.»
Free.
"Of course, without any contractual obligation. Besides, with a political position, I'm on leave from my institution; with a permanent consultancy in Sardinia, I'd have to resign. And that's certainly not worth it."
When will the withdrawal of the delegation or the resignation be effective?
«Nothing is finalized yet, we'll see now, I'll carry on with business as usual».
Will he sign the appointments of the local health authority directors?
"I don't think so. Even if I'm there, the president will do it. I want to say something else."
Please.
"We need to change the way we do journalism. I've been attacked every day, and not a single line has been written about what we've done. If bringing innovative therapies to Sardinia is a secondary issue..."
She brings innovative therapies and Todde decides to give her up.
"You'll say we need a change of pace. But there was a change of pace, and we've achieved significant results. I don't know, I assume there's a political reason, perhaps the appointments of the general managers. If it were up to me, they should all come from outside because we need competent people. But we need to maintain the balance within the territory."
What did the president tell her?
"Nothing, she asked me to help her. I realized that the political and environmental conditions weren't right for her to continue."
Roberto Murgia