Protesters head towards the Plaza de Cibeles, the destination of the Madrid protest to defend public health /
Tens of thousands of people march in four columns towards the Plaza de Cibeles in a new massive protest in which “one million” protesters are participating, according to the organizers
The people of Madrid have taken to the streets again this Sunday to participate in the demonstration called by more than 70 neighborhood and health associations to defend public health in the Community and, which also advocates greater investment by the Government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso in Primary Care. The Federation of Associations in Defense of Public Health (Fadsp), convener of the protest that began at twelve noon, wants to repeat the success of the last and massive call last November, when some 200,000 people converged on the Plaza de Cibeles, according to the data provided by the Government Delegation, a number that the organizers raised at that time to 650,000. Sources of the organization believe that in this Sunday there are even more, a million people. The Government Delegation has not yet ruled.
«We play a lot. Population and health workers must be united in this battle”, have highlighted the spokespersons of some of the associations called under the slogan ‘Madrid rises up and demands Public Health and solutions to the Primary Care Plan’. Among the banners carried by citizens there are messages such as ‘Health is not for sale, it defends itself’, ‘Ayuso, privatizing is stealing’, ‘For quality Primary Care’ or ‘Enough of mistreatment of doctors’. The attendees censure “the dismantling” of Madrid’s public health, the “privatization” of Primary Care and demand a 25% increase in the workforce in all areas of health centers.
On strike since November
The demonstration is in addition to the latest demands in the sector, such as the indefinite strikes called by unions such as Amyts for out-of-hospital emergency doctors in Primary Care, pediatricians and family doctors. That is why the act is also a cry of support for these health professionals. For three months, 4,240 family doctors and 720 primary care paediatricians have supported an indefinite strike, which started on November 21. Negotiations with the Ayuso government have been stalled ever since. Precisely, Ángela Hernández, general secretary of Amyts, one of the platforms of convening doctors, had words of praise for these toilets and gave all the prominence to “the neighbors” who convened the march.
The Plaza de Cibeles, crowded. /
The march is made up of four columns that have left in the direction of Cibeles at 12:00. The organizers expect the demonstration “to have a large following and become a mass protest act.” Among others, the minister and candidate of the PSOE for Mayor of Madrid, Reyes Maroto, the union leaders of the UGT and CCOO or the spokespersons of the municipal and regional left have attended. “Private health systems are at the service of a few,” recalled Pepe Álvarez, general secretary of the UGR.
After the controversy in the Goya
This protest comes just when during the Goya gala held in Seville, Eulalia Ramón, the wife of the recently deceased Carlos Saura, awarded the Goya de Honor, gave an emotional speech exalting public health while urging to improve the provision of resources to the institution that manages it, the Community of Madrid. Eulalia wanted to remember Elsa, the caregiver who attended Saura until the end of his days, and all the health personnel who cared for him during his illness (especially the Villalba home palliative care team). Later, she left this message: «Public Health deserves to be taken care of as public personnel take care of us. To whom it may concern, please do it, “Eulalia brandished during the gala.
President Isabel Díaz Ayuso took the hint and responded on Twitter: «I thank the widow of Carlos Saura, Eulalia Ramón, for the tribute she has paid to Madrid’s healthcare, embodied tonight at the Villalba Hospital. We all believe in our Health, we work for the best ». But that message generated a cascade of negative reactions and tweets from many users to encourage people to attend the demonstration this Sunday.
A similar protest, which is taking place in the streets of Santiago de Compostela, has brought together nearly twenty thousand citizens who are also demanding greater investment in Galician public health.
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