The ordinance signed by the re-elected mayor of Norbello , Matteo Manca , as stated in the document, is "provocative and symbolic." But the effect was immediate: it rekindled attention to the town 's lack of a family doctor . In effect, the mayor "imposes on the people of Norbello the obligation to self-heal in the event of illness." This is an extreme measure, designed to expose the irreconcilable contradiction between the right to health guaranteed by the Constitution and the lack of essential local health services. The wording of the ordinance is deliberately paradoxical.
"All citizens residing in the Municipality of Norbello who become ill are required to recover independently as quickly as possible," reads the released union document. "We urge those affected to take every useful initiative aimed at spontaneously recovering from illness," the mayor writes, "with particular emphasis on goodwill, positive thinking, physical and moral endurance, and the possible use of luck."
A further passage follows that accentuates the ironic yet dramatic tone: "Citizens are also prohibited from worsening their clinical conditions without first having a doctor available. The operational modalities of recovery," Manca notes in the ordinance, "are left to the citizen's own self-organization."
Behind the provocation, however, lies a genuine and profound complaint. "We're trying everything, but no one's listening," says Matteo Manca . "It's a provocation we're sending to all the relevant authorities: the Region, the Government, the Prefect. This situation cannot continue."
The mayor emphasizes that the municipality has already attempted to address the serious healthcare shortage with concrete measures. "In April," Manca writes, "the council allocated funds to set up a clinic and provide housing for a general practitioner willing to accept the position. We have formally notified the Sardinia Region, the local health authority, and the Province of Oristano of our availability." Despite these efforts, however, no concrete response has arrived.
"We are a small municipality," the mayor reiterates, "but we have the same rights as those who live in the city. We cannot resign ourselves to a territory without medical care."
Norbello's provocation transcended local boundaries. Manca himself, along with other administrators and citizens, appeared live on Rete 4 from Piazza del Popolo to denounce the situation and highlight the impossibility for the local population to even access basic primary care.
