Fear reigns in Italian hospitals after a huge increase in physical and verbal violence against doctors and nurses, leading to growing calls from healthcare workers for the deployment of police and army.
Last week, a team of doctors and nurses had to barricade themselves in a room in the southern Italian city of Foggia to escape angry relatives and friends of a young woman who died during surgery. According to Italian media, the family blamed hospital staff for the 23-year-old’s death. A hospital official said the clinic and the judiciary would investigate the death.
Hospital boss threatens to close emergency room
Footage of hospital staff pushing a couch and a dresser to lock the door as angry family members tried to beat them was shared on social media and news sites (see video below). Meanwhile, two other attacks took place at the same hospital: an 18-year-old patient attacked three nurses in the emergency room late Sunday, and a patient’s son punched two nurses and a security guard Monday, police and staff said. The hospital director threatened to close the emergency room.
The events in Foggia are part of a series of violent attacks against healthcare professionals in Italy, which have prompted the national medical guild to call in the police to ensure the safety of hospital staff. Barbara Mangiacavalli, president of the national association of nurses, called for the deployment of the army and police in hospitals. Filippo Anelli, president of the Italian Medical Association, also joined the call.
Ministry: 16,000 attacks last year
According to the Ministry of Health, there were more than 16,000 attacks on medical workers last year. Italian Health Minister Orazio Schillaci called the recent series of incidents “shameful.”
Source: Krone
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