270,000 Sardinians are forgoing medical care. Half a million of them are without a primary care physician. 496 clinics are vacant , and 100 family doctors are being lost each year. The CUP (Central Emergency Call Center) is able to guarantee bookings for 24.6% of calls, meaning only one in four users' needs are met. 118 emergency medical service stations are short 70 out of 144 doctors.
It's not a union, nor a local association, nor even a member of the opposition that's providing the numbers on the island's appalling healthcare situation: it's the Democratic Party group in the Regional Council governing Sardinia, led by Alessandra Todde. The Democrats aren't shying away, and in a technical document, they've highlighted the problems. The goal: to seek (and propose) solutions. The report, "drafted based on data collected during the observation period between January and April 2026, aims to uncover data that requires in-depth institutional reflection. The Group has evaluated the findings of this investigation, which reveals operational and structural criticalities across the island, to define the next policy initiatives," according to the accompanying note.
In the absence of urgent interventions, the scenario outlined is disturbing: "What will happen in the next two months if we don't act now?" the Democrats ask. And they also provide the answer: "Billions of euros from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) will go up in smoke because construction sites aren't closed. With the expiration of the contracts for paid doctors , emergency rooms will close, emergency medicine and first aid will no longer be guaranteed." And this is just for the immediate future. Because the Democratic Party also paints a picture for the medium term: "Primary care will disappear, the CUP will become an unworkable bottleneck , and with the exodus of doctors, all peripheral hospitals will be left deprived." And this is from a 68-day to a year perspective. If we broaden the horizon to the next three years—assuming nothing changes—the outlook is disaster: "There will be no more doctors in the ordinary wards, even the main hospitals will collapse."
Having painted this tragic picture, including projections, the Democratic Party calls the Regional Council to account "because this is not the time for manipulation or blame shifting." Therefore, responsibility cannot be placed on Alessandra Todde, who is governing the healthcare system ad interim.
"As we did with Covid, when we were able to approve measures in 72 hours," the Democratic Party states, "the most urgent action of all is to allocate €100 million for healthcare now. The health and lives of Sardinians are at stake."
Cappellacci: "Ready to collaborate"
Such a clear picture also draws support from Forza Italia MP Ugo Cappellacci: "The critical issues facing Sardinia's healthcare system are no longer a matter of debate between opposing political positions, but are now emerging even within the regional majority itself," says the former governor, who adds: "This fact should prompt everyone, starting with President Todde, to embark on a new phase, based on clear choices, responsibility, and governance. Over the past two years, announcements and interventions have followed one another that have failed to produce the expected results, while citizens continue to struggle daily with poor service and difficulty accessing care. On a fundamental right like healthcare, there can be no ideological divisions or partisan logic. We must transcend all forms of communication and focus on concrete, effective, and verifiable decisions. For our part, as we have done in the past, we confirm our full willingness to collaborate, including through national input, in the exclusive interest of Sardinian citizens."
