Healthcare crisis in Como: Staffing shortages and long waiting lists

The public healthcare system in the Como province and the broader Lombardy region is facing significant strain due to staffing shortages and long waiting lists. According to Lucas Radice, secretary of Alleanza Verdi Sinistra, regional data for 2025 indicates that while over 37 million services were prescribed, only about half were managed by the public system, leading many citizens to delay or forgo necessary care.

In the province of Como, a recent regional call for personnel revealed 293 vacant general practitioner positions. Within the Asst Lariana health authority alone, there is a deficit of approximately 250 nurses and 55 hospital specialists in critical fields such as anesthesia, psychiatry, and emergency medicine. The total need for operators and technicians is estimated to exceed 500 units in the public sector.

These local issues reflect broader national trends. European Commission data suggests that in 2024, 9.9% of Italians renounced necessary medical services, nearly doubling the 6.3% recorded in 2019. Additionally, the number of family doctors in Italy has decreased by approximately 13% over the last decade, with more than half of remaining doctors exceeding their contractual patient limits.