"Ogliastra cannot continue to pay the price of distance and the structural deficiencies of its healthcare system." This was stated by Alessandra Todde, President and Interim Councilor for Health, this morning at a meeting with Stefano Ferreli, Chief of Staff of the Department of Health, and the "Hands Off Ogliastra" Committee. During the approximately one-hour meeting on Viale Trento, the main healthcare issues facing the region and prospects for strengthening local services were addressed.
The president also spoke to Committee members Arianna Depau, Daniela Sanna, Simona Demurtas, and Adriano Micheli. The four representatives immediately focused on the main critical issue : the reopening and proper functioning of the maternity ward, closed for four years and considered a priority that can no longer be postponed to ensure, first and foremost, the safety of mothers giving birth and their unborn children, as well as a fundamental right for the local community.
" Traveling from Ogliastra to Nuoro or Cagliari poses a risk to women and children," emphasized Daniela Sanna. Among the critical issues, the characteristics of the region should not be overlooked, as it often snows, and "taking the journey to Nuoro is risky, as is reaching Cagliari in the summer, with congested roads." The debate then focused on the issue of safety , which President Alessandra Todde addressed: " Safety cannot be assessed solely on the basis of the number of births performed in a facility, but must also necessarily take into account the experience and organization of the healthcare teams ."
Within this framework, the possibility of establishing networks and agreements between facilities was discussed, including in conjunction with Nuoro, to ensure adequate overall capacity and continuity of care. The Committee also proposed involving and collaborating with the Muravera hospital. "For some users, that facility is closer to Lanusei than Cagliari," noted Simona Demurtas and Daniela Sanna.
Much attention was given to staffing shortages, particularly in pediatrics, a critical issue structurally linked to the closure of the maternity unit. "We need an additional pediatric specialist with diabetes expertise," the Committee members emphasized.
