Italy’s Hospitals in Crisis: Over 1,100 Patients Waiting in Rome Alone
The Italian health system is facing a critical situation, with hospitals overwhelmed by a surge in patients and a shortage of beds. The worst situation is in Rome and its region, where more than 1,100 patients are waiting to be admitted, according to the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care (Simeu).
Ambulances were seen queuing outside hospitals in Rome just a few days ago, while in Lombardy, patients are crammed into waiting rooms until a bed becomes available. Hospital overcrowding has even led to a shortage of stretchers for patients in cities such as Turin.
According to Simeu president Fabio de Laco, the emergency departments in Italian hospitals are in chaos and on the verge of collapse. In Piedmont, the number of patients waiting for admission has reached around 500, while in Lombardy and its capital, Milan, normal hospital admissions have been suspended to free up beds for emergencies.
The rise in hospital admissions, putting pressure on the Italian health system, is due to an increase in respiratory diseases, especially among the elderly. Although Covid cases have slightly decreased, a surge in flu and other viruses has caused overcrowding in hospitals and put a very strong pressure on emergency services.
Plans to combat overcrowding and find additional beds have been activated in several regions, but with hospital beds chronically scarce, there is little that can be done. The president of Simeu has pointed out that many doctors in Italy’s public health system have not had holidays over Christmas and New Year, working without interruption throughout the period.
Experts are urging Italians to get vaccinated, especially with the peak of influenza expected next week when schools reopen after the holidays. Regional councillors from the centre-left Democratic Party visited hospitals in Rome and reported a very complex situation due to the large number of patients, blaming it on a vaccination campaign that started late.
As the situation worsens, it is clear that urgent action is needed to address the crisis in Italy’s hospitals.