A large number of people have staged a demonstration in the British capital to protest against the government’s policy on the National Health Service (NHS).
The demonstrators marched on the parliament in London on Saturday with placards reading, “Hands off our NHS.”
The protesters chanted slogans like “No ifs no buts, no NHS cuts” outside the parliament building.
One group of demonstrators was carrying a fake coffin depicting the NHS logo, and others held up banners or placards stating their cause.
The protesters are worried about plans by the government of Prime Minister Theresa May to fragment the NHS “in order to sell it off.”
They demanded that the government rethink its NHS privatization plans amid growing waiting times and slashed resources.
Organizers said the rally should serve as a notice to the government that the National Health Service is still a priority matter for the British public.
The UK’s Health Campaigns Together (HCT) is planning for a large demonstration in London on March 4, saying the NHS has reached a “breaking point.”
Earlier this week, a UK government watchdog said the NHS was struggling to keep up with demand due to an “understaffed and underfunded” ambulance service.
The number of ambulances that have been able to meet the standard 8-minute response time has dropped to 72.5 percent, slipping away from the 75-percent target, according to the National Audit Office.
The figure shows that "national performance against response time targets … is getting worse,” the supervisory body said.
The report came days after Prime Minister May denied allegations by Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn that the NHS was facing a crisis.
The British Red Cross warned earlier this month that the NHS was facing a “humanitarian crisis” as hospitals and ambulance services struggled to keep up with rising demand.