Waiting lists in hospitals in Campania, the shame of endless times: “Nothing works here”

The survey “Healthcare is a luxury” by Fanpage.it published a few weeks ago caused a wave of emotions and comments especially on the social profile of the magazine. Within hours, dozens and dozens of testimonials arrived of Campania citizens who expressed in comments their experiences with waiting lists for diagnostic tests and professional visits in the health care system of Campania. A sample of amazing stories, which can only strengthen the journalistic work we proposed. We decided to contact some of the people who had left their comments in order to collect their stories and give more insight into the scandal of endless waiting lists in the health system of Campania. At the same time, the president of the Province of Campania, Vincenzo De Luca seems to acknowledge the problemalthough, as usual, with a special tone to his character.

“On the receipt it said that I refused to visit me on the same day”

Testimony they also allowed more distortions to emerge, in the operation of CUPs, single booking stations, and in the Campania Salute digital platform that can be accessed from the Sinphonia platform. The story of Franco Gargiulo it’s amazing. “I had and need a neurological examination – He tells us – I was referred by my GP and emailed CUP to book. After two days they still hadn’t answered me, so I called and managed, after many attempts, to speak to an operator. They made an appointment to visit me in January 2024, i.e. with a 4 month waiting periodBut in Franco’s story there is no time to just wait, the notice appears on the booking receipt of which he was never informed at any stage of the booking process. “To my surprise when I go to print the booking receipt – explains – I read at the bottom of the paper that I would stop visiting that same day at 10am. Obviously no one told me, by email or even by phone, that there was a possibility to visit the same day I booked, otherwise I wouldn’t have waited 4 months“.

Times are moving on even when you are exposed to the tests used to monitor your health with respect to the risk of tumors or heart disease. This is what he tells us Angela Parlatoteacher and councilor of Municipality 2: “My doctor ordered a quick mammogram – he says – I went to the pharmacy to make a reservation through CUP and the first available date was February 2024, 5 months later. It was an important measure for my health, so I left the pharmacy and went to a private facility to pay for it the next day.“. But that’s not all: “My mother-in-law had a similar story, her doctor found heart problems and strictly ordered a heart examination and heart examination. Also in this case I went to Cup to make a reservation: the first available date is March 2024, 6 months later“.

“In the entire province of Caserta it is impossible to make a CT scan for comparison”

Even when using a heavily funded Application “Campania in Salute”. which is obtained through Sinphonia platform, the music doesn’t change. Indeed, we find ourselves faced with strange situations. Someone tells us about it Giovanni Savinouniversity teacher: “I have type 2 diabetes, and my doctor has ordered heart tests, including a CT scan with contrast. Through the Sinphonia forum I saw that there were several possibilities between Naples and Caserta. I live in the province of Caserta so I choose to do it in the nearest public center, the regional health authority of Maddaloni. On the day of the test, Maddaloni called me an hour before to tell me that they don’t do that kind of test, and that if I had an emergency I could do it at a private center nearby.“. In practice through the program of the Region of Campania there was a possibility to do the test in the health district where there was not even a machine. “From what they told me in the entire province of Caserta it is not possible to do a comparative CT scan, at least according to the platform. Doing it with an individual costs me between 250 and 300 euros“. Raffaella Cirillo he is a social worker, he holds the inescapable “record” of waiting among the testimonies that have come down to us. “I booked a colonoscopy in February 2023 and was given an appointment for December 2023, so a 10 month waiting time.” He says. Even in this case these are decisive tests with respect to the possibility of identifying even a serious pathology in good time.We live in a state of utter confusion – insists Raffaella – we live in situations where we are not sure about when we could do a health test“.

De Luca: “There is a problem, but we are among the first in Italy”

At the same time, also the president of the Province of Campania Vincenzo De Luca seems to have seen a problem. In a traditional Friday social media message, a few weeks ago, he admitted the existence of the problem. After abandoning the triumphant voices on the health care used when he was Fedez’s guest in Mucchio Selvaggio, De Luca handed over the responsibility to the government. “There is a problem, as you can see from the mainstream media, involving emergency rooms and waiting lists“Said the president of the region, placing the responsibility of the government for the lack of health plans and the gap in which the resources of the national health fund are distributed which will punish Campania for around 180-200 million euros per year. Luca concludes the passage of his speech on the topic that with the usual reference to the victory of the subject: “Despite everything, as the Region of Campania on the waiting lists we are fourth in Italy in terms of efficiency” he said, referring to the short service speed. A picture that we presented to those who told us about their experience with the public health system of Campania.They should tell a story about a system that works for someone else, it doesn’t work here“emphasizes Franco Gargiulo.”We don’t have good health care – answers Giovanni Savino – also because of the prevalence of certain pathologies and the aging of the population, the speed of time becomes decisive.“And the times, unfortunately, are what we described.