Thousands of Spanish protesters slam govt.'s 'destruction of public health system'
Tens of thousands of Spanish health workers have rallied in the country's capital, Madrid, decrying what they called the regional government's destructive public health policies.
The Sunday protest attracted about 30,000 protesters,some of whom were dressed in white coats and banging drums, chanting, "Cutting public health is criminal."
The Madrid regional government, led by the Popular Party’s Isabel Ayuso, has come under strong criticism since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic for poor staffing in hospitals and primary healthcare centers as well as other vital requirements.
Hospitals and primary health centers have been overstretched as a result of Ayuso's approach, which protesters say is aimed at invigorating the private sector at the cost of the public health services.
Dressed as the Grim Reaper and bearing a mock scythe, one protester held a sign reading, "I am Ayuso's plan for [the] emergency ward."
"We have about 40 or 50 patients per day and can give them about six minutes each. The problem is that they do not allow us to give proper care to patients," said Ana Encinas, 62, a doctor who has worked in primary care in Madrid for 37 years.
Ayuso denies the allegations that have been facing her government. She rather blames the left-wing parties of masterminding protests and strikes to torpedo her administration's chances of victory in upcoming municipal and regional elections.
In November, a crowd of roughly 200,000 people demonstrated in Madrid, warning against her government's plan to overhaul the regional primary care services.
The protesters warned that the government's plans would "destroy" local healthcare.
The protest had been called by local associations and municipalities against Ayuso's plans, including her desire to push for public-private healthcare partnerships and restructuring of primary care.
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