Bellucci at the response center of the Italian Red Cross

(ANSA) – ROME, APRIL 20 – “As a representative of the Government, I thank you for your dedication and competence, which you never lack, especially for the defense of the most vulnerable. I assure you of my personal commitment and that of the ministry I represent for continue to listen to you and support your precious action for the common good. The Government is on your side, we are there for you, as you are there for all of us citizens, without distinction”. These are the words of Maria Teresa Bellucci, deputy minister of Labor and Social Policies, on the occasion of her visit this morning to the National Response Center of the Italian Red Cross, in Rome, a service which today receives around 6 thousand calls a day from people who they need various forms of help and support. During the pandemic the number was much higher: in fact, there were an average of 13 thousand calls made per week. “Two years ago – recalled the president of the Red Cross Rosario Valastro – we inaugurated this new structure. Through 1520, the public utility number, we still provide social and health support seven days a week and 24 hours a day to anyone who needs it; we have increased support services for people, such as transport, light home care and services dedicated to vulnerable people, in perfect synergy with the work of all the CRI Committees. The request for food aid and, last but not least, home medicines has been centralized the telecompany service and remote psychological support, which have allowed us, particularly in recent months, to respond effectively to the new loneliness, which especially affects the elderly. Through the work of operators, volunteers, the Central National Response – he concluded – has been able to provide the population with a continuously evolving service, always in step with the times and with new vulnerabilities”. (HANDLE).