Alarm at Battipaglia hospital: "Risk of collapse," all patients removed.

Battipaglia – A night of fear and forced relocations at the Santa Maria della Speranza hospital in Battipaglia, Salerno. The facility was partially evacuated starting yesterday evening after the local health authority (ASL) received a technical report that left no room for doubt: there was a real risk of structural collapse.

It was 7:00 PM on Sunday when the document arrived on the health management's desk. The technicians clearly stated the need to conduct immediate checks on the building's "most stressed structures." This alert triggered the emergency plan: a ban on new admissions, a complete halt to all scheduled activities, and the green light for the transfer of patients already hospitalized.

Patients were diverted within hours to nearby facilities, particularly the hospitals in Eboli and Roccadaspide. Among the emptied wards was the Intensive Care Unit, a delicate operation managed with the utmost urgency. Currently, the only facility remaining operational is the Emergency Room, which continues to provide first aid.

This isn't the first alarm bell for the facility. Last July, the partial closure of a department was already necessary, again due to structural issues. This precedent now feels like a missed opportunity and fuels controversy over the hospital's safety. The local health authority assures that inspections are already underway, but patients and staff remain fearful of working and receiving treatment in a building showing signs of deterioration.