Many ambulances without doctors, nurses - association

(ANSA) - Rome, May 2 - Mario Balzanelli, the head of the SIS 118 association, on Wednesday sounded the alarm about the shortage of skilled medical personnel for ambulances in Italy. "Calling (emergency number) 118 is a lottery," commented Balzanelli, adding that often ambulances do not have a doctor and nurse aboard who are able to intervene with immediate diagnosis and treatment.
    "In the last seven-eight years the life-saving emergency system has been dismantled". He said the situation regarding the shortage of personnel was worse in northern Italy.
    "In the south, on the other hand, the emergency vehicles have the medical personnel but they often arrive late because there are few ambulances," he said.