Mayor of Belcastro in Italy orders ban on illness for residents

Mayor of Belcastro issues decree banning illness to highlight local challenges in Italy.

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The mayor of Belcastro, a small town in southern Italy, has issued an unusual decree instructing residents to avoid falling ill.

Mayor Antonio Torchia's proclamation, which reads “Getting sick is prohibited,” is intended to draw attention to the town's lack of adequate healthcare services.

Belcastro, with a population of around 1,300, has an aging demographic, with many residents being elderly. The town’s local health center is often closed, and on-call doctors are unavailable during weekends, holidays, or after hours.

The nearest emergency room is located 45 kilometers away in the city of Catanzaro. These healthcare access issues have prompted Torchia to take a drastic step, highlighting the need for urgent reform.

In the decree, Torchia urges residents to refrain from behaviors that could cause harm, avoid accidents, and reduce physical activity. He emphasized that the ordinance, while made in a tongue-in-cheek manner, is a serious call for regional authorities to address the inadequate healthcare services in the area.

This action, which will remain in effect until the local health center operates regularly, is aimed at provoking a response from local and regional officials.

The mayor has emphasized that the situation is critical, calling attention to the challenges facing Belcastro and many other towns in the Calabria region, which struggles with healthcare access, depopulation, and economic hardship.

Torchia hopes that his declaration will lead to improvements in healthcare infrastructure and services, noting that many rural areas in the region face similar challenges.