ASL Bari launches specialized healthcare project in prisons

The Bari Local Health Authority (ASL Bari) has introduced the “Rete Casa Circondariale – Ospedale” (R.C.C.O.) project to enhance medical assistance within correctional facilities. This initiative creates an integrated network between the corporate Penitentiary Medicine department, led by Dr. Nicola Buonvino, and the Pneumology unit of San Paolo Hospital in Bari, directed by Dr. Maria Mesto.

The program specifically targets respiratory and oncological pathologies, addressing high rates of health fragility among inmates. Data indicates that mortality from oncological diseases in the prison population is approximately 1.6 times higher for men and 1.4 times higher for women compared to the general population.

By bringing specialist care directly to the prisons, the project aims to provide more timely diagnoses and continuous treatment paths for conditions such as lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The initiative includes increased access to diagnostic tools, including spirometry systems, endoscopic and ultrasound instrumentation, and various respiratory monitoring devices, while reducing the need for inmate transfers to hospitals.