Italian mayor's proclamation makes it illegal to get sick

Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The mayor of an Italian village issued a proclamation banning residents from getting sick amid issues with local healthcare access.

Mayor Antonio Torchia of Belcastro, Calabria, issued a proclamation ordering residents not to contract any serious illnesses that could lead to the need for emergency medical attention. Residents were also ordered to not engage in activities that could lead to serious injuries, and were advised to instead spend the majority of their time resting.

Torchia later explained the proclamation was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek way to draw attention to the shortcomings of the local healthcare infrastructure.

The mayor said about half of the village's 1,200 residents are over the age of 65. The nearest emergency hospital is located nearly 30 miles away, and is only accessible via a road with an 18 mph speed limit.

The village has an on-call doctor, but the service is not available during nights, weekends or holidays.

Calabria is one of the poorest regions in Italy, and has seen 18 hospitals shuttered since 2009. Cube announced in 2022 that 497 doctors would be sent to Calabria over the course of three years to help staff the region's medical facilities.