Waiting lists that well exceed the 30 days required by medical protocols and last July, in just one month, 15 patients from Businco went for breast cancer surgery in Milan.
During the years of the pandemic, over 15 thousand Sardinians left for treatment, it is estimated that in 2023 the figure will rise to 20 thousand.
Numbers are increasingly increasing: five years ago 11% of Sardinian women operated on for breast cancer went outside the region, in 2022 the percentage has risen to 19.1% (according to Agenas surveys).
According to the latest studies on passive mobility, in Italy the majority of health migrants (63%) are women who are on average 45 years old, leaving mainly from the South and the Islands, in particular for oncological and cardiac problems.
According to official data provided by the Region, 4,503 patients flew to the Peninsula from the Cagliari Local Health Authority; from that of Sassari 3,550; from Gallura 2,666; from Nuoro 1,423; from the ASL of Oristano 1,234; from that of Sulcis 928; from Medio Campidano 606; from Ogliastra 474.
Renato Pischedda, from Nuoro, former 118 operator, is the manager of the Svs-Viaggi per la salute association, founded two years ago, the first in Italy, to offer a service «to all those who for health reasons must go to health facilities inside and outside the island, managing on behalf of the patient all the aspects necessary to achieve the legitimate hope of recovery". For example, we help those who have to fill in all the documents necessary to obtain a refund based on regional law 26 of 2011, we advance expenses to those who are unable to pay them, we look for and purchase plane or boat tickets, we accompanies those who have no one, a medical taxi is made available. «We are a sort of patronage for medical migrants», continues Pischedda, «the objective is to open more offices, the next one, by the end of the year, will be in Quartu, thanks to the collaboration of Domu Mia, furthermore, we won a tender in Genoa and they have assigned us two rooms, where we will inaugurate a 360-degree service center for travellers."
