Lazio to Introduce QR Code System for Medical Practices Following Fatal Incident
Rome: A QR code with essential information on private medical practices and their authorised services will soon be available to citizens in Lazio, announced the governor of the central Italian region. This development follows the tragic death of a woman after undergoing liposuction at an unlicensed clinic earlier this week.
According to Ansa News Agency, the governor, Francesco Rocca, stated that the initiative is being developed in collaboration with the Lazio Guild of Physicians. The QR code system aims to provide clear identification of permissible procedures in medical practices and detail the specializations of the medical staff. This measure is intended to enhance public awareness and safety, particularly in light of the recent incident involving a 47-year-old Ecuadorian woman who died at an unauthorized clinic in Torrevecchia, Rome.
The woman, Ana Sergia Alcivar Chenche, experienced complications during a liposuction procedure on Saturday afternoon and was subsequently rushed to Policlinico Umberto I Hospital. Despite efforts by medics to revive her, she succumbed to cardiac arrest after being intubated, as reported by medical sources. The incident has led Rome prosecutors to investigate three individuals for negligent manslaughter and culpable homicide: a doctor, an anaesthetist, and a nurse. The clinic, which operated without authorization for 13 years, has now been impounded.
The implicated doctor, 65-year-old Peruvian citizen Jose Lizarraga Picciotti, has a criminal history related to injuries from past liposuctions and plastic surgeries. Legal sources revealed that Picciotti, who has studied in Sweden and Italy, frequently advertised cosmetic procedures on social media, attracting a predominantly South American clientele with promises of low prices.
The tragedy has sparked outrage and calls for stricter regulations, especially since it follows two similar cases in Rome last year, highlighting ongoing concerns about unlicensed medical practices in the region.