On the occasion of National Lilac Bow Daywhich is celebrated on March 15, the conference took place today at the Ministry of Health “Nutrition and eating disorders – The point on treatment paths and new opportunities” . The event was broadcast live on the ministry’s website streaming.
The conference proceedings were introduced by the Director General of Communication of the Ministry of Health, Sergio Iavicoliwhich was followed by institutional greetings from the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci and the Director General of Prevention of the Ministry of Health Francesco Vaia.
Experts and patient associations participated.
“National Lilac Bow Day – said the minister at the beginning of his speech – reminds us of the importance of commitment towards people, many of whom unfortunately are growing up at a young age, who suffer from Nutrition and Eating Disorders. A commitment that naturally does not end on this occasion but which is constant because we are aware of the need to pay great attention to these serious and complex pathologies”.
The minister then underlined how the DNA phenomenon is “a real social and health emergency in which the relationship with food, weight and body image are the tip of the iceberg of a phenomenon whose causes derive from a multiplicity of social, psychological and biological factors”. “We must guarantee those who suffer from these pathologies and their families – he continued – the best levels of access and appropriateness of the intervention throughout the national territory. We must overcome regional disparities that see services distributed unevenly across local areas.” On the topic of financing, the minister recalled the refinancing with 10 million euros of the Fund to combat Nutrition and Eating Disorders and expressed the hope that the resources will be spent, underlining that “from the interim report on activities and expenditure supported and committed – relating to the funds for the years 2022 and 2023 – 59% of the financing was committed and only 3% was spent. By October 2024 we will receive the final report and the financial reporting and the hope is that there will be an increase in resources expenses”.
In closing his speech, the minister touched on the topic of Essential Levels of Assistance (LEA) and the Tariff Nomenclature: “With the entry into force of the new tariff nomenclature – which is part of the tariff decree that we approved after six years – who suffers from anorexia and bulimia and can access 16 new specialist outpatient services appropriate for monitoring the disease. Furthermore, as part of the LEA update proposal, we are introducing a further 16 new outpatient care services for the monitoring and prevention of complications and aggravations of bulimia and anorexia”.
The conclusions were held by Maria Rosaria CampitielloHead of the Minister’s Technical Secretariat.
(To find out more about reports and speakers, read the event programme).
Watch the video of the conference
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