«More beds or they close us» Storm in Sicily, Corriere.it inspectors arrive

The Nas inspectors and the carabinieri sent to Sicily by the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, will arrive next week. They will enter hospitals to verify the number of effective beds available for Covid patients, following the storm of suspicions and accusations that is shaking the island. The controversy was triggered by an audio from Mario La Rocca, general manager of the Region’s strategic planning department. In the message – sent on November 4 to the managers of the hospitals and the directors of the ASPs of the island and published on the newspaper’s website Sicily – La Rocca asked to update the number of hospital beds on the Civil Protection platform. Today the entire first step must be lowered to November 15. I don’t feel ca …, because today they will do the evaluations and according to the intensive care places they will decide in which band Sicilia resides. Shortly before, in fact, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte had signed the new Dpcm that divided the country into different critical areas with different containment measures. It is not acceptable to undergo further restrictions because someone is reluctant to open the beds, the manager recommended.

No more looting

All data for the Region are true, all locations are available. Let the Nas go and check everywhere, but enough looting and news between what is said and what is unspoken, which have the sole function of unnecessarily alarming public opinion, explains La Rocca, rejecting any accusation of pressure on health officials to they don’t end up in the orange zone. Mine was an invitation not to waste time. While I was at home from Covid, I noticed that for three weeks some managers did nothing to activate new beds – he adds – Two days after those audios I finished the isolation and was able to give a tour of some hospitals in Palermo: 100 seats in one day. In a somewhat forceful way, he reminded everyone of their responsibilities and respect their commitments: he only fulfilled his duty, he supported the health councilor, Ruggero Razza, who later called Minister Roberto Speranza to ask for checks.

Exposed in all capitals

The opposition, which has long attacked Razza for managing the pandemic, including with a motion of no confidence after the effective entry of the Region into the orange zone, is preparing for battle inside and outside the Sicilian Assembly. The M5s, led by Vice Minister Giancarlo Cancelleri, attack Governor Nello Musumeci, while the Pd announces complaints to prosecutors in all regional capitals. Sicilians have the right to know how many places are actually available in hospitals, says the president of the Sicilian Antimafia, Claudio Fava, who applauds the dispatch of ministerial inspectors. The government aims to act quickly to end the controversy in Sicily. In fact, the mess in Calabria that awaits the appointment of its special commissioner for Health has yet to be resolved. Even if the name of Francesco Paolo Tronca is circulating with increasing insistence on that chair. The Minister of Regional Affairs, Francesco Boccia, announces immediate clarity, which he defines as intolerable to try to circumvent the monitoring parameters of Covid data. Sicily ruled by respectable people. And this should have already understood Boccia – Governor Musumeci answers dryly – We asked the government, a week ago, to send ten, one hundred inspectors to clarify the management of the numbers of the epidemic: we are not afraid of any control and thus put an end to any attempt at speculation. Meanwhile, the data that concern Sicilians are also other: yesterday 1,838 new infections were recorded on the island, 43 deaths.