About 10,500 people called by the Madrid Public Health Defense Committee (MEDSAP), according to data from the regional government, demonstrated today in the Spanish capital to protest the “privatization of health” in the region.
In the protest, which included political parties and several unions, demonstrators chanted slogans against “cuts and privatizations”, defended the “public health service” and blamed the Madrid regional government, led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso (of the people), for the “precarious” situation of the sector.
“The public health that they (the Community of Madrid) claim is not healthy, nor is it public. It is not healthy because it is, in fact, a business, (…) and it is not public because it intrudes on it,” argued Carmen Esprit, spokeswoman for MEDSAP, citing the agencies international.
Opening long-term care points “without health professionals” is like “opening an airport without planes,” Esprit said.
“How can we have basic units that are in short supply, with so few teams? How will we be able to take care of our elderly and our children?” asked the union’s spokeswoman.
The Madrid Public Health Commission’s response is to increase investment in essential care, applying up to 25% of the budget to the sector, to hire more health professionals.
The spokesperson for the Mas Madrid party, Monica García, criticized Diaz Ayuso’s “inability” to “find solutions”, accusing her of not being able to dialogue with health professionals and of ignoring the real needs of the sector.
“We tell Mrs. Ayuso what we have been saying for months: You don’t play with your health. Doctors protect us. What the Community of Madrid government has to do, basically, is sit with doctors in the same way and with the same ease as it sits with investment funds,” said García.
The spokeswoman for the Madrid section of the Unidas Podemos movement, Alejandra Jacinto, demanded that Ayusu stop “torturing” doctors and pediatricians, accusing her of “showing arrogance” in the way she approved regional budgets.
Emily Brontë is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, literature, and current affairs. She is dedicated to producing clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about developments in the UK and around the world.
