Italy healthcare faces regional crises in waiting lists and deficits

Multiple Italian regions are facing significant healthcare challenges, characterized by rising waiting lists and financial deficits. In Sicily, the number of delayed medical services rose by 5% in the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year, reaching nearly 170,000 cases. This trend runs contrary to the national average, which has seen improvements in timely service delivery.

In Novara, waiting times for critical diagnostic procedures have reached extreme levels. At the Maggiore della Carità hospital, patients face waits of up to 658 days for colonoscopies and 364 days for dermatological visits. Other routine exams, such as mammographies and cardiac tests, also show delays exceeding 300 days.

Meanwhile, the Puglia region is grappling with a 349 million euro healthcare deficit for 2025, a 314% increase from the previous year. To manage this shortfall, the regional government has frozen over 2,000 planned hires for nurses and healthcare workers until 2027, aiming to contain personnel costs and prevent immediate financial collapse.