SPAIN: A massive number of health workers in Spain protested in Madrid on Sunday in light of a crumbling healthcare system by the conservative regional government.
Groups like the Medical Staff Union of the Madrid in Spain organised a large-scale demonstration in the centre of the city. According to the statistics provided by Madrid Municipality, approximately 250,000 people participated in the demonstrations. The organisers of the event said that the numbers were nearly 1 million.
Liao Junhua, the headquarters reporter, said, “This is one of the most iconic places in Madrid, Plaza de Cibeles, and also the seat of Madrid City Hall.”
“It can be seen that tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the wide streets, shouting slogans, expressing their dissatisfaction with the local government’s cuts in public medical expenditures, and simultaneously demanding the improvement of medical conditions,” the reporter concluded.
Spanish National Bureau of Statistics released a preliminary statistic on January 30 that reveals the country’s inflation rate in January 2023 will be 5.8%. At the same time, the average salary growth rate of the country’s public sector workers I only about 2.5%.
A previous public statement showed that the medical centre in the region has always been perplexed, and the regional government has not taken any action to provide effective measures.
Implementation of the local public health system budget has been delayed, and medical services have been privatised, resulting in a public dilemma about the future of the healthcare system in the country.
A citizen of Madrid, said, “The situation of the public health system is deteriorating, the number of doctors is decreasing, the conditions for seeing a doctor are getting worse, and many medical centres have been closed down.”
Tens of thousands of people marched through Madrid in November to support healthcare workers demanding better work conditions.
Also Read: Spain: Health Workers Protest amid Regional Government Cuts
