Free Health Screenings & Calls for Obesity Funding Highlight Lecce’s “Health Marathon” Stage Two
Lecce, Italy – A free health initiative and conference focused on metabolic syndrome prevention and treatment drew crowds to Lecce’s Piazza Mazzini and the Order of Doctors-Surgeons and Dentists conference room today. The event, the second stage of the “Health Marathon,” offered free screenings for obesity, diabetes, diabetic foot issues, heart disease, osteoporosis, and headaches. Nutritionists and psychologists specializing in eating disorders where also on hand to provide support.
Organizers emphasized the importance of collaborative healthcare. “We are aware that only the team can give a result,” stated Luigi Peccarisi,president of CAM and the Order’s Interaction Commission,”and it is also for this reason that the medical order has called bodies and institutions to network.” the initiative aims to raise public awareness about the value of preventative screenings and healthy lifestyles to alleviate pressure on the national health system.
A key focus of the conference was advocating for increased funding for obesity treatment. Stefano Scardia, representing the Lecce Local Health Authority’s dietetic and clinical nutrition unit, highlighted the current financial burden on patients. “To date…for a first visit the obese patient pays 27 euros in fees and the drugs…are also paid for,” he explained.Scardia expressed hope for future exemptions for high-risk cardiovascular patients seeking treatment at specialized centers.
General Director Stefano Rossi echoed the need for resource optimization through multidisciplinary approaches to disease treatment, calling for a “change our skin” in communication strategies.
The “Health Marathon” will continue November 15-17 with a focus on cervical cancer prevention.Activities include HPV vaccination clinics in Piazza Mazzini on november 15th, a conference for general practitioners on November 16th, and opportunities for Pap tests and vaccinations at the Fazzi hospitals in Lecce and Santa Caterina Novella in Galatina on November 17th.
