PLATOON.recruit Luca #3091 reports directly from the occupation committee of the „Ospedale San Giacomo“ in Rome. following the decision to close one of Europe´s oldest hospitals, its entire personnel decided to preside the building after their previous attempts for dialogue kept falling on deaf ears. a hunger strike is expected to follow.

the international press doesnt seem to be interested in the issue as it appears to be just another italian problem. however you want to see it the closure of a hospital is never a good sign, especially in these dark days of financial distress.

here is Luca´s open letter:

an abuse against the italian constitution is being perpetrated in Rome, and the very same governors, who are supposed to safeguard our rights, are the actual executioners who are betraying the fundamental basis of democracy.

it is obvious that what is happening here isnt just an isolated case and the abuses are so many that it isnt possible to make generalizations.

so i get straight to the case in question.
the constitutional article being violated here is the 32nd, the right to HEALTH: as you probably know, you dont need an insurance to get medical care in italy, and the public health system, despite being raped by nepotism, bribery and larceny, enjoys very good professionals as well as peaks of specialistic excellence and state of the art medical departments.

these days a hospital in service for seven-hunderd years in a row, is heading for closure. the hospital in question is the San Giacomo, located in via Canova, in other words, the very center of Rome,

this hospital which has been active since 1327, absolved many duties throughout the centuries but it never changed its original purpose and use. in the second half of the 500´ it was bought by Cardinal Antonio Maria Salviati who by enlarging it and making it independent on a financial level, gave it as a present to the people of Rome... but with a biding agreement written in the testament stating that it cannot be leased or sold ....to make it short „ the hospital keeps being a hospital or it gets back to the heirs of the original owner“ the Salviati family.

so the occupying committee „save San Giacomo“ is fighting together with the heirs of the building and other organizations to avoid this disgrace from happening.

the italian health system is running a serious risk of being object for low economical speculations, that with the excuse of optimizing health care are actually attempting to weaken down public services.

San Giacomo Hospital is an historical building protected by artistic heritage laws and has recently been renovated and modernized for the humble amount of 12 million euros, it had a very efficient First Aid (closed since 15 days), has one of the most modern reanimation department in Europe...which unfortunately has been closed so that now the city of Rome finds itself with 12 reanimation places less....and it all obviously appears to be a severe problem for Rome´s citizens.

I´d like to conclude making you note that the motives of this delict are to be searched in real estate speculation...rumors have it that on the 32.000 m2 of the hospital, several apartments or even a hotel are to be built with an estimated profit of 18.000 euro per m2.

however this speculation seems being far from achieving its goals since the original testament has been found. nevertheless the closing procedures are going on because the gentlemen in the government cannot reverse their curse of action and keep justifying the dismission of the hospital´s personnel with false and pernicious motivations.

....and i know i don´t have to warn you about those who try to exploit the cause of the „Salviamo il San Giacomo“ committee, for a political gain of doubtful honesty.

moral of the story is, that if a philanthropist created an hospital at his own costs, with the only intention to donate it to us, four jackals are trying to take it away... at our costs! -

the closure of "Ospedale S.Giacomo" is scheduled for friday the 31st of October.


we support this cause and are aware it isnt an isolated case. the failure of the health care system is hitting germany as well, and a series of massive protest are expected to unfold before the end of the year.


stay tuned for other news from the strikers front.







latest news...the police stormed the Ospedale S.Giacomo and injured some activist from the action network and patients. an elderly lady broke her knee during the raid.