The demonstration attracted about 30 thousand protesters in Madrid.
Dressed in white coats and banging drums, many chanted: “cutting public health is criminal.” The Madrid regional government has come under fire in recent years, especially since COVID started in 2020, for poor staffing in hospitals and primary healthcare centers. Protesters say the regional government is dismantling public health services and favoring private health providers something local politicians deny.
Conservative politicians say the protests and strikes are being orchestrated by left-wing parties in the runup to municipal and regional elections this year to undermine the conservative regional government. This isn’t the first time the area has seen protests about health care issues. In November, tens of thousands of people marched through central Madrid in support of health workers calling for better working conditions.
