Catanzaro, July 18, 2025 –
“The real situation being experienced is one of great confusion, almost resignation. And in any case, of profound sadness. What has been built over the years with commitment and expertise at the De Lellis facility – and, more specifically, in the UFA (Antiblastic Drug Unit) of the Ciaccio Hospital – has been wiped away with a stroke of a sponge.”
This is the strong denunciation by Forza Italia city councilor Sergio Costanzo, who speaks out on the decision to merge and centralize oncology therapies at the Germaneto University Hospital, a decision that is causing serious hardship for patients and healthcare staff.
“One wonders,” Costanzo continues, “what the real meaning and criteria of this maneuver are. A unilateral choice that echoes what happened months ago in Lamezia Terme, where the closure of the UFA produced similar effects. It is clear that a business perspective may have organizational logic, that the UFA structure had over time shown signs of 'aging' and needed renovations to guarantee the safety of patients and operators, but all these issues can never come at the expense of the quality of care and the dignity of oncology patients.”
The Ciaccio UFA, historically recognized for its efficiency and for being among the first facilities of its kind in Calabria, has long been considered a model of excellence. “Today,” Costanzo emphasizes, “suddenly no one talks about it anymore. Everything happens in absolute silence. No official statement, no explanation to the citizens. Will the Ciaccio UFA be renovated and reopened or is a permanent closure being considered? This is what the public has the right to know.”
The councilor also raises serious questions about the role of those responsible for oversight and supervision: “Where were the facility managers, department heads, and health physicists when it would have been possible to intervene in time to avoid such an emergency?”
The hardships reported by patients are serious and documented:
• Postponement of therapies and lengthening of scheduled cycles,
• Delays in administration, even by hours,
• Lack of signature on prepared drugs,
• Problems in the transport and storage of oncology drugs, which require strict standards.
“It is unacceptable,” Costanzo concludes, “that therapies are provided in uncertain conditions, at unscheduled times, with operational difficulties that also put frontline healthcare workers in crisis. It is unacceptable that drugs expire or are discarded because they lack minimum safety requirements. Oncology cannot be treated as a budget variable.”
Transparency is needed immediately, the councilor continues, “and clear answers to the public and operators. It is intolerable to act in the shadows on such a sensitive issue. People's health, especially those fighting a difficult disease like cancer, deserves respect, competence, and responsibility.”
Sergio Costanzo
Forza Italia City Councilor