Italy sees neglect scandals in Castrovillari hospital and Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison

In Castrovillari, Italy, the local emergency department has been described as abandoned and unsanitary. Patients reportedly wait for hours without updates, and a nurse allegedly dismissed a woman's request for a wheelchair with the remark “Call Occhiuto.” The complaint calls for urgent intervention by regional health authorities to restore basic medical care and dignity.

In Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison, Algerian detainee Hakimi Lamine died on May 4, 2020, a month after being beaten during a COVID‑19‑related protest on April 6, 2020. Prosecutors say his severe psychiatric conditions required constant medical supervision, which was not provided. The autopsy ruled out a direct link between the beatings and his death, citing chemical asphyxia as the cause, but the case remains part of a larger trial involving 105 prison and police officials.

Both incidents highlight concerns over institutional neglect within Italy’s health and correctional systems.