Francesco Zambon, from the World Health Organization in Treviso: “I start with all the medicine of the territory”

There is already talk of a super expert role in epidemiological emergencies.
“It is too early to say that USU Marca Trevigiana will decide this. I humbly put myself at the service of the tasks entrusted to me in the field of regional medicine, which is the focus of health reform envisaged by Pnrr. There is great excitement about this field, which includes health promotion and primary care, and disease prevention even for the healthy, to keep everyone healthy in the best possible way. The great novelty of this Pnrr 6 mission is the restructuring of local medicine and the ability to bring citizens closer to the health system.”

In short, he embarks on the new adventure with the same enthusiasm that he always had. But why regional medicine after it contributed to the management of global health?
“Because I majored in Italy in community medicine and in Sweden in social medicine, I got my PhD in programming sciences from the University of Padua and did a master’s in management in America. Having said that, I am happy to start over in a different area after a rather intense period due to events related to the WHO and the Bergamo investigation, which has seen me participate on three occasions between December 2020 and November 2021 for Pandemic Plan affidavits (written in 2006 and not yet done). Updated by the Ministry of Health, as mentioned in the file prepared by Zambon but censored by the World Health Organization itself 24 hours later, so). With the initial investigations closed, we await the final report. I also participated in the Lombardy Region Commission of Inquiry as a person familiar with the facts.”

Have you filed a lawsuit against the World Health Organization?
“Yes, to the headquarters in Geneva, for forcing me to resign and not protecting one of his employees who reported a breach, namely the failure to renew the Italian pandemic control plan and the pressure I was under to withdraw the dossier that my research group pointed out. Multiple retaliatory responses against me have been unleashed, on both fronts Different and in different ways It will be a long and painful battle, but I do not stop: I want the WHO to become a more independent and transparent structure, and in the case of other epidemics in the future, the administration will be different. The chance to change their face may be the re-election scheduled this month of Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus The only candidate.

What did you do this year “sabbatical”?
“I have studied and closely followed the development of the epidemic in Italy and the world and the relative measures to confront it, I wrote a book” Il Pesce piccolo. The Story of Viruses and Secrets, “already in its fourth edition, and after my events and Bergamo’s legal events”.

When did you start working for the local health authority in Treviso?
“I think this month already. I’m happy to be back at work, but I also want justice to be served, and the Italians deserve it, so I’ll keep fighting my battles. As long as someone does not prove me wrong, I will fight, it is part of my character, and I do not allow myself to be afraid of anything or anyone else. Thousands died because of someone’s mistakes and we can never forget that.”

Did you also write your book to prevent history from being forgotten?
“Yes. And I’m glad it’s a bestseller on the pandemic: not for the sake of revenue, but because it’s right that citizens know what happened and deal with the World Health Organization, and understand what they’re doing and who’s working there. It shouldn’t be an entity sloping from above and untouchable.” , The impetus to change it must come from the people. Despite my horrific story of untenable leaders, I still believe the WHO is essential, but not as it is now phrased.”

Let’s talk about Covid: From May 1, no more masks in stores, bars and restaurants. What do you think?
“The slowdown in the measures to contain the SARS-Cov2 virus at this point is true and inevitable, we must return to life. With an infectious variant such as Omicron 2, wearing a surgical mask does not make much sense, but Ffp2 does. The mask is indoors and in gathering situations. Even in the open air, along with the constant hygiene of the hands that are unfortunately lost, remain the only guarantees for us and others.”

So was it necessary to extend the use of the mask in all closed environments?
“After two years, people should take responsibility: now everyone knows how to deal with covid, there is no need to continue imposing protection, they can adopt it themselves. The official number of new cases is less than the actual number, many of them are doing it yourself incorrectly, many cases The other if affected by mild symptoms that are not controlled at all and so on.However, the number of deaths remains constant, which will decrease in any way, because the population is now well immune between vaccination and recovery, and is no longer susceptible to infection with the virus as it was in the beginning “.

In short, the mask always in your pocket?
“Yes, with disinfectants. It should become a normal habit, as it was for Asians even before the pandemic. It should not be a stigma, but rather a rule of life and hygiene to be adopted in vulnerable situations, which we have learned to recognize.”

Newsletter Corriere del Veneto

If you want to stay up to date with Veneto news, sign up for free to our newsletter Veneto courier. Every day it arrives directly to your inbox at 12 noon. just click here.