Breezy Explainer: Why are health workers protesting in Spain?

Health workers are protesting in Madrid and the government is insisting the ‘political interests of left-wing parties’ are motivating them. Read to know more.

Why are health workers in Spain protesting?

On January 15, several health workers gathered in Madrid, the capital of Spain to protest against the right-wing government. As per demonstrators, the ruling party is dismantling the public healthcare system and promoting the private sector. They are holding placards reading “Stop Privatisation” and “S.O.S. Public Healthcare” in addition to raising slogans. Protestors are marching into the city center and protesting in front of the Ministry of Health’s building.

The newest series of demonstrations is two months ago a minimum of 200,000 people took to Madrid’s streets. Since the pandemic broke out, such protests are becoming the norm in Madrid. As per health workers, the government of the Popular party, the funding for public health care in the capital is cut off. They are claiming that this is leading to an extreme shortage of resources and staff. As per a France 24 report, patients are waiting endlessly for vital “screening appointments such as mammograms are canceled or rescheduled for months in the future”.

More on the health crisis

“Madrid spends the least amount per capita on primary health care of any Spanish region even though it has the highest per capita income,” stated members of the Union. Additionally, they revealed, fifty percent of the money spent on Healthcare in the capital goes to the private sector. They also add that Isabel Díaz Ayuso has been favoring the private sector for years. Ayuso is the leader of the popular party. She first came under criticism after introducing a new model of non-hospital emergency centers. This in addition to the “excess workload, the endless appointments and a lack of time for seeing patients” added to the reasoning for protests.

“It was held to find new far-left leadership for the Madrid region because of the collapse the Socialist party is going to suffer. If it had solely been a demonstration about public healthcare. Don’t be in any doubt that two million madrileños would have attended,” stated Ayuso. However, she claims the latest protests are fueled by the “political interests of left-wing parties”.