Italian towns confront primary‑care doctor shortages as contracts expire

In the Alpine town of Nus, the sole family doctor, Gino Sapone, will see his contract end on 31 July, leaving the municipality without a permanent general practitioner. The local group “La nave dei disperati” has gathered more than 3,200 signatures urging the mayor and the regional health authority to appoint a replacement, warning that the lack of a primary‑care doctor especially harms the elderly and chronically ill. The Valle d’Aosta health agency says it has begun administrative steps to find a substitute, but regional and national shortages may delay a stable solution.

Meanwhile, in Porto Torres, Sardinia, Dino Nota will assume a provisional GP role on 3 August, taking over patients from the retired Antonio Vincenzo Piglioni. Despite the new assignment, thousands of residents remain without a permanent family doctor, prompting local health officials such as Carlo Cossu to warn of a “progressive demolition” of primary‑care services and increased reliance on limited‑hour ASCOT clinics.