A patchy pediatric emergency room, few doctors, unfilled shifts, and grueling hours: this is the reality facing the pediatrics department at the Giovanni Paolo II hospital in Olbia , as the department itself reports . "The situation is extremely serious , the insecurity is total," employees complain. The shortage of specialists forces doctors to work 24-hour shifts , often called in emergencies from other facilities in Gallura via service orders . The latest was signed this morning by the management of the Gallura Local Health Authority , led by extraordinary commissioner Ottaviano Contu, supported by medical director Pietro Masia and administrative director Michele Baffigo.
The critical situation became apparent as early as 8:00 a.m .: the pediatrician on duty had finished his service, but there was no colleague available to take over . A doctor from Tempio Pausania arrived at the last minute to ensure continuity. " The pediatric service," the ASL assures, "will not suffer interruptions or closures ," and since June, work has been underway to find solutions to a staffing shortage affecting all Sardinian health authorities. But concern among operators remains high: it appears that the pediatric emergency room is closed at night, from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., forcing young patients to go through general triage and hope for the availability of the pediatrician from the maternity ward.
Criticism comes from politicians. "The first serious consequence," denounces Cristina Usai, regional councilor for the Brothers of Italy party , "will be that the Birth Unit, left without pediatricians, will no longer be operational, and, soon, births will likely no longer be possible in Gallura . As of yesterday, the Neurosurgery Department in Sassari announced that it is no longer available for emergencies: it has only two doctors on duty, leaving only the one at Brotzu in Cagliari active in the whole of Sardinia. Not to mention the staff shortage, which forces nurses to work in difficult conditions ."
Usai also criticized the regional government: "President Todde and Councilor Bartolazzi have focused exclusively on filling positions in health care agencies, without finding concrete solutions. Lots of talk, but no action to guarantee the right to healthcare for the citizens of Gallura." Giovanni Satta, a senator for the Brothers of Italy party, a physician, and a member of the Senate Health Committee , expressed similar concerns: "The severe shortages experienced by some essential departments at the Giovanni Paolo II Hospital in Olbia are alarming, particularly the SPDC, where admissions are virtually no longer being accepted, resulting in inconvenience for patients and staff. These critical issues require urgent solutions from the Region, which thus far seems to have focused more on replacing the management of the agencies than on the real problems facing healthcare."
(Unioneonline/vf)
