Time's up at Local Health Authority 8: Acting General Director Cristina Garau (who previously served as administrative director due to seniority) has informed the Region and the AOU that starting Monday she will return to work at Cagliari University Hospital, where she previously worked. Medical Director Roberto Massazza has done the same with Brotzu Hospital: unless otherwise indicated at the last minute, he will return to Arnas, complete his vacation time, and retire.
Sardinia's main healthcare agency, the Cagliari ASL, is thus left without a top executive: today was the last working day for communications and related protocols; starting Monday, no one will be able to sign any documents. Unless the political turmoil in the wider community is resolved over the weekend, where President Alessandra Todde and her allies appear unable to reach an agreement on the appointment of the director general, whom she has been in office for two months now.
Garau and Massazza did not take individual positions. They simply complied with their letter of appointment, which referred to paragraph 3-bis of Law 502 of 1992. This provision states: "The appointment of the Director General must be made within a mandatory period of sixty days from the date the office becomes vacant." That is, by Monday, February 22nd. After that date, "the Minister of Health (...) shall propose to the Council of Ministers a replacement, including the appointment of a commissioner ad acta." The Region would then be placed under special administration.