Four Palestinian children arrived today in the early afternoon at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute with war traumas rescued on the Vulcano ship of the Navy. Three accompanied by their mothers, the youngest – has only 14 months - accompanied by a relative and her children.

To welcome them after ten days of life aboard the Vulcano a health column of eight vehicles supported by twenty operators of the Italian Red Cross among nurses, doctors, psychologists, cultural mediators and drivers. 

The operation was coordinated with the Prefecture of Bologna, the National Operations Room C.R.I, the Unified Operations Centre Inter-H and 118, the IRCCS Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute and the Department of Health Policies of the Emilia-Romagna Region.

Eleven people in all among wounded children and carers, all in conditions of obvious physical and psychological fragility in consideration of the origin from a war context. The three largest children are between 4 and 7 years old, two have femur fractures, one has a fractured tibia and a child has burst trauma outcomes to be evaluated and treated.

Upon arrival in Bologna, the patients and their families were welcomed by the health staff coordinated by the Director of Pediatric Orthopedics of Rizzoli Gino Rocca and the Director of Emergency Department Enrico Guerra. The General Director of Rizzoli Anselmo Campagna, the Health Director Viola Damen, the Nursing Director Annella Mingazzini and the Emilia-Romagna Region’s Health Policy Commissioner Raffaele Donini were present.

"Together with my staff we carried out the first usual examinations and diagnostic tests for a thorough assessment of the cases in order to define a personalized and adequate treatment for each of them - explains Rocca. - They are patients who have had very difficult and unimaginable experiences, now they are finally here and we will do everything possible to help them". 

"We are in constant and close contact with the Ministry of Health - explains Campagna, - in these days there has been a continuous updating of information, now we will take care of these young patients, always available for future requests for accommodation".