The patience of GPs is over. They put it in black and white yesterday afternoon in Tramatza, declaring the strike in a fiery assembly made even hotter by the high temperatures, the approximately 100 doctors who arrived from all over Sardinia and are part of the general medicine association formed in February.
The body represents the just under 1000 family doctors operating in the entire regional territory. From the debate a unanimous chorus arose to clearly tell those responsible for regional health policy that the time for promises is well and truly over.
"Out of a sense of responsibility, we allowed the summer months to pass where there was a very high number of tourists on the island - says the president of the association Massimo Putzu - but now there is no longer time to wait, let's move on to the facts".
And there was obviously no shortage of ideas on the form of protest, but in the end the strike was the formula that brought everyone to agreement. We will follow the example of those who have already moved forward such as the Italian doctors' union. Luciano Congiu, new regional secretary : «The SMI has proclaimed a state of agitation among general practitioners to respond to the inertia of the Sardinia Region and the local health authorities. It is no longer possible to postpone strengthening local medicine while the Region is missing. The document was also delivered to the President of the Council Cristian Solinas . On Sunday 17 September - Congiu announces - we will organize an online meeting with all the doctors who want to participate".
The president of Anci Sardinia Emiliano Deiana also took part in the meeting. «I am here to represent the mayors - he stated - sharing the right concerns of those who, like you, represent the daily difficulties of operating with serenity guaranteeing primary care for all citizens. We are in a dramatic situation which will take at least twenty years to resolve." Deiana has guaranteed that she will bring the doctors' claims to the ANCI assembly which will be held tomorrow, asking for an urgent meeting with the Health Councilor, preceded by a document. From the assembly the proposal to take part in the meetings in the Regional Council where the related to the financial law is still being discussed.
«There are 50 million euros available – says president Massimo Putzu -. These are defined funds that have already been allocated. According to the Health Councilor, never used for the problems reported by the association, known as the Tramatza points and accepted by Councilor Doria himself."
During the meeting, the dramatic and stressful situation in which doctors are forced to operate became clear. People who haven't taken holidays for years, who can't find replacements and who are dealing with a bureaucracy that is becoming increasingly burdensome. And the future promises to be dramatic. In fact, it has been estimated that there are currently around 450 doctors missing on the island to cover needs , while of those in service at least half are of such an age that they will have to retire within a few years.
