Maddalena Carta’s Brother: ”She Died From the Inhuman Times, She Returned Home at 2 AM”
The brother of Dr. Maddalena Carta, a general practitioner in Dorgali, Sardinia, believes her death was a direct result of the overwhelming demands of her job. Dr. Carta passed away on Thursday after a rapid decline in health following initial symptoms of nausea on Monday.
According to her brother, Dr. Carta began feeling unwell on Monday afternoon,taking Plasil for nausea that evening. Despite this, she insisted on continuing her home visits on Tuesday, even after her brother urged her to rest. “I also said to her: ‘Don’t go to the clinic, rested’. She didn’t listen to me, she replied that she had to go as it was needed,” he recounted. He emphasized the strain on local healthcare, noting that Dr. Carta and one colleague were the only doctors serving Dorgali’s approximately 9,000 residents. “For her, the duty always came first of all, she didn’t want to abandon her patients.”
The situation deteriorated rapidly on Tuesday afternoon. After completing her scheduled visits, Dr. carta collapsed at home. Initially believed to be a virus, her condition quickly worsened, requiring an ambulance and transfer to the Nuoro hospital. She suffered multiple cardiac arrests, first at the hospital and then twice during an emergency helicopter transfer to the Brotzu hospital in cagliari around 5:00 AM.
Despite the urgent care, Dr. Carta’s organs – including her liver,lungs,and heart - were severely compromised. Tragically, despite her prior support for organ donation, her brother stated that none of her organs were viable for donation.
The family echoes the sentiment of the National Federation of Medici, wich called Dr. Carta’s death “an unacceptable death at work.” Her brother is certain that the intense pressure of her workload contributed to her death.”I have a certainty: she was vrey stressed as of her work. My sister followed many people, she always returned home in the middle of the night…even at one and thirty or 2.” He described her working hours as “inhuman” and believes that these relentless rhythms were detrimental to her health.
He firmly believes his sister would have been saved had she not been subjected to such demanding conditions. “Although he believes in fate, I am very Catholic, I consider to be inhuman to follow 1800 people to a single doctor. There are too many thousand patients.” He noted Dr.Carta was physically vulnerable, frequently enough experiencing stomach problems and low iron levels, making her particularly susceptible to the effects of chronic stress.”All this stress on a body like hers generated a huge ‘blow’,” he said. He pleaded for systemic change, stating, “My sister was a martyr but these tragedies must no longer repeat themselves. Too many doctors risk every day.”
her brother remembers Dr. carta as a deeply compassionate and dedicated individual, always prioritizing the needs of others. “She had a contagious smile and a stunning word for everyone,” he said, adding that she consistently went above and beyond, even offering help and writing prescriptions on her days off. “He lost his life by doing what he loved.” he emphasized her unwavering commitment, stating she “never” said no to anyone in need, frequently enough sacrificing her own health and holidays in the process.
