They’re rallying against the regional government’s management of the capital city’s health care services.
More than 250 thousand people rallied in the city center. Many protest participants carried homemade signs with messages in Spanish like “the right to health is a human right” and “defend the health service.” Health worker associations led the demonstration, which was backed by Left-Wing parties, unions, and normal citizens concerned with the dismantling of the public health care system by Madrid’s conservative led government.
These groups have taken to the streets on a regular basis in recent months, and their movement is gathering strength. Healthcare workers claim that the current administration spends the least amount per capita on primary health care of any Spanish region even though it has the highest per capita income.
They say for every 2 Euros spent on health care in Madrid, one ends up in the private sector. Spain has a hybrid healthcare system, but the public sector is larger than the private one and is considered a basic pillar of the state. It is run by Spain’s regions.
