In protest against the poor state of the local health care system, the mayor of the southern Italian commune of Belcastro has resorted to an unconventional solution. Antonio Torchia issued a decree officially prohibiting 1300 residents of the city from getting sick and needing medical care, snob.ru reports with reference to CNN.

The document contains a number of unusual instructions: citizens are “ordered” to avoid any illnesses, especially those requiring emergency medical care. Moreover, local residents are advised to limit travel and sports, giving preference to spending time at home to minimize the risk of injury.

The ironic form of the decree hides a serious problem. Belcastro’s only health centre does not operate on weekends and public holidays, and the nearest emergency department is 45 kilometres away in Catanzaro. The situation is particularly critical given that about half of the commune’s population is elderly and in regular need of medical care.

The unusual move is intended to draw the attention of the Health Ministry to the problems of small communities, the mayor said. The decree will remain in effect until the city's medical center is operating regularly.

Torchia notes that this situation is typical for most of the 80 municipalities in the province of Catanzaro, where the lack of health facilities and personnel is a systemic problem.