Puglia Health Crisis Unit Established by President Antonio Decaro

On 24 July, Antonio Decaro, president of the Italian region of Puglia, signed a decree creating the Unità di Crisi in materia Sanitaria (UCS). The unit is headquartered at the Presidency of the Regional Council and includes the regional president, the health and welfare assessor, the chief of the president’s office, the secretary‑general, the director of the Department of Health and Welfare, and the director‑general of ARESS.

The UCS is tasked with turning health‑system monitoring and financial‑clinical governance from episodic oversight into a continuous, structured process. It will issue binding strategic and economic‑financial directives throughout the regional health network, translate the 2026‑2028 Operational Programme into budgetary and management targets, and ensure regular (every 15‑30 days) meetings to maintain strategic alignment. A dedicated task‑force will analyse quarterly data from health companies, verify cost containment and budget limits, and safeguard service quality, waiting‑list reductions, and essential levels of care (LEA).