A small Italian town is grabbing headlines worldwide after its mayor issued an unusual order: ‘Falling sick is banned’. Mayor Antonio Torchia of Belcastro in the southern region of Calabria recently issued a ‘diktat’, asking residents “to avoid contracting any illness that requires medical assistance, especially an emergency.”

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However, the mayor later clarified that the ‘diktat’ was in fact issued “with a bit of irony.”

The mayor wanted to highlight the lack of access to basic healthcare in the town in a bid to criticise higher authorities.

“This is not just a provocation, the ordinance is a cry for help, a way to shine a spotlight on an unacceptable situation,” said Torchia in a statement to local media.

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The mayor highlighted that the town of 1,300 people had an elderly population of about 700, and it had only one health centre which would remain closed most often.

He stressed that doctors won’t be available in the town on most weekends or holidays. Torchia added that the nearest emergency centre to the town was at least 45 km away in the city of Catanzaro.

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It was not clear how the decree issued by the mayor would be enforced.

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“Come and live a week in our small village and try to feel safe knowing that in the event of a health emergency the only hope is to get to Catanzaro in time,” the mayor told local media.

“Try it and then tell me if this situation seems acceptable to you.”

(With inputs from agencies)