Sun Sep 15 15:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Italian Army Deployed to Protect Medical Staff Amidst Surge in Violence
**ROME** – In a shocking turn of events, the Italian army will be deployed to protect medical staff at a hospital in Calabria, southern Italy, starting Monday. This unprecedented measure comes in response to a worrying increase in violent attacks against doctors and nurses across the country.
The decision to bring in military personnel was made following a series of assaults, with the most recent and disturbing incident occurring at the Policlinico hospital in Foggia. A group of about 50 relatives and friends of a deceased patient stormed the hospital, attacking staff members in a frenzy of grief and rage. Video footage of the incident, which has been widely circulated on social media, shows medical professionals barricading themselves in a room to escape the violence.
The escalating situation has prompted the national guild of doctors to call for military intervention, citing the urgent need to ensure the safety of medical staff. The Italian Federation of Medical-Scientific Societies has also proposed harsher penalties for offenders, including the suspension of free medical care for those who assault healthcare workers or damage hospital facilities.
The rising aggression towards medical professionals is attributed to several factors, including severe understaffing, long waiting lists, and a lack of adequate resources. Italy’s largest union for doctors reports that nearly half of emergency medicine positions remained unfilled in 2022. Doctors lament that low wages and poor working conditions are contributing to a growing sense of burnout and dissatisfaction among staff. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these challenges, leading to an exodus of medical professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.
This deployment of the military represents a stark warning of the deteriorating situation within the Italian healthcare system. The Italian government faces the urgent challenge of addressing the underlying issues that have fuelled this alarming trend of violence against those who dedicate their lives to caring for others.
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