187th Anniversary of the Constitution of the Army Health Corps

(To Army Majority State)
04/06/20

The Army Health Corps, which draws its roots from the pre-existing Military Health Service of the Army, now celebrates 187 years of history and value demonstrated in the field.

A long history in which the staff of the Corps has always distinguished itself for self-sacrifice, spirit of sacrifice and dedication by helping and treating the fighters and sharing with them the good and the adverse fate.

An epic in which, from the Ethiopian bases to the Karst trenches, from the sands of the African desert to the desolate steppes of Russia, the blood of its men mixed with that of other brave soldiers.

The strategic role played with commitment and professionalism by the men and women of the Army Health Corps, always at the forefront of saving lives and minimizing the consequences of trauma and injuries in the countries where the Italian Armed Forces operate, today, more than ever, it represents a precious resource to be deployed in support of the wider context of the National Health Service for any emergency that has health implications.

Evidence of this is the emergency just experienced aimed at countering and containing the spread of Covid-19, in which the Army Health Corps has given ample proof of being always ready and reactive to face any challenge, with full effectiveness and professionalism.

In fact, since the first moments of the spread of Coronavirus, the medical and nursing staff of the Army Healthcare Corps have been mobilized to support the return of our compatriots from abroad, to create around 3500 beds and to be deployed in various healthcare facilities in our country, where with great commitment and sacrifice it has lightened the workload of doctors and nurses in the most affected areas, especially in Lombardy, in the provinces of Lodi, Bergamo and Milan.

In the midst of the emergency, there were over 250 health workers with stars lined up even in remote health centers such as Castelnuovo Bocca d'Adda, Somaglia, Codogno and Casalpusterlengo, locations where entire areas had been left without health care due to Covid-19.

In addition, the great support provided by the Army's Health Corps to the emergency is represented by the setting up in two times of field hospitals in Piacenza and Crema respectively and by the great work of the staff of the Military Hospital Center of Milan and the Military Policlinic del Celio, the latter becoming Covid-Hospital with 150 beds.

A great contribution given to our country also with the multimodal transport of patients affected by this terrible virus.

Military health is a precious resource that continues to guarantee its assistance and care to military and civilians in all foreign theaters of operation and on the national territory, a crucial capability in the hands of commanders in the conduct of military operations, especially during events disasters or other emergencies. A reality able to renew itself and update itself thanks also to important institutional collaborations of the Army with the Universities, allowing to achieve stable synergies with health and scientific realities, of national importance, for the training of Army doctors and nurses and care of citizens.