"We are in an era of recovery even in our country of infections, which are growing, and we know very well that when the number of infections grows so large even if the percentage of relapse on our health facilities is more limited than in the past thanks to the vaccination campaign, however, you still have a relapse to deal with ".
Health Minister Roberto Speranza said this, speaking at the convention organized by Fiaso for the 30th anniversary of the law that introduced healthcare companies in Italy.
"Hospitals, whenever an infection curve grows, are equipped to be able to welcome people. But now we have much lower numbers than in the past. We have reached 4000 people in intensive care, today we have about 300, so we are in a different phase and we have different tools to manage the pandemic. But it is clear that hospitals must have flexibility, so if beds are needed we are ready to face the challenge ".
"We are preparing for a vaccination campaign in the fall in which we will extend the booster age" of the anti Covid vaccine.
Minister Speranza said this, speaking at the convention organized by Fiaso for the 30th anniversary of the law that introduced health care companies.
In this context, the minister added an appeal to health directors to do everything possible to improve, already now, "the coverage of the fourth dose of the vaccine for the frail and the elderly".
Since 2010, health personnel have suffered a decline of 5.6%, i.e. 5 thousand doctors, almost 11 thousand nurses and more than 23 thousand other health workers are missing, for a total of 40 thousand units.
A reduction that led to the weak situation highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the emergency, however, temporary workers were recruited who can now be hired thanks to the stabilization law.
"Already 10 regions out of 20 - explains the president of Fiaso, Giovanni Migliore - have already entered into agreements to proceed with permanent contracts".
The data were presented today at the conference "For 30 years at the service of citizens: the general manager in public health companies", organized at the Ministry of Health by the Italian Federation of Health and Hospitals.
This is a consequence of the measures envisaged by the 2010 budget law, which introduced a ceiling on public personnel spending and went hand in hand with the blocking of turnover and the re-entry plans in many regions of central and southern Italy.
"For ten years - continues Migliore - in the face of new health needs and the aging of the population, investment in personnel has not increased: 40 thousand professionals are missing".
According to President Fiaso, moreover, "to bridge the ten-year gap, it is necessary to abandon the logic of spending ceilings and increase the funding for the recruitment of new professionals".
Together, he concludes, "we have passed two violent years, we have been exposed to upheavals. Now we need the extraordinary to become ordinary".
