A small village in southern Italy has an unusual ordinance, banning people from “getting sick.” That may sound odd, but it’s bringing attention to a real problem.
The mayor of Belcastro, a small town in the Calabria region, issued the proclamation earlier in January 2025. Mayor Antonio Torchia said in the decree, “Getting sick is prohibited” and ordered residents to “avoid contracting any illness” requiring medical attention, “especially an emergency.”
Torchia said in an interview on Saturday, Jan. 4, the order comes with a “bit of irony” but is meant to bring attention to the town’s lack of access to health care.
He added that the provocative ordinance “is really a cry for help.” Belcastro has around 1,200 residents. About half of the population is elderly individuals.
The mayor said the town has a health center, but it is frequently closed and inaccessible during weekends, holidays or after hours. To add to that, 18 regional hospitals have also reportedly closed since 2009, and many in Calabria are forced to travel outside the area for medical needs.
With the shuttering of nearby medical centers, and the nearest emergency room 28 miles away on a road with a speed limit of 18 miles per hour, the mayor said he felt compelled to make the proclamation.
Torchia urges people to avoid “any behavior that may be harmful, and to avoid domestic accidents.” The mayor also told people to avoid leaving the house too often.
It’s unknown if the order is enforceable, but it is in effect until the town’s health center is open on regular basis, according to the mayor.
The Calabria region, where the town is located, is one of the poorest in Italy, and many young people have moved away. More than 75% of Calabria’s roughly 320 towns reportedly have fewer than 5,000 residents.
