The Minister of Health, Marciano Gómez, has denounced this Wednesday the "absolutely anomalous situation" that, in his opinion, "the Minister of Health," Mónica García, "is leading due to paralysis and inefficiency and ineptitude to be able to launch a medical statute."
Gómez made these statements to the media during a visit to the General Hospital of Elche (Alicante) where, in relation to said statute, he considered "modernization essential" and stressed that "in health there is no political color."
His words come on a day marked by new protests by Valencian doctors and physicians, who have gathered again in front of their workplaces, with traffic blockades in front of the La Fe, General de Valencia, and Doctor Peset hospitals. In the province of Alicante, the Bus del Cambio has traveled through several towns to demand a specific framework statute, as well as improvements in their working conditions and quality of care.
These mobilizations are part of the new week of medical strikes. On its third day, the follow-up has been 90 percent, according to the convening union CESM-CV, while the Ministry of Health places it at 6.40 percent.
The minister insisted that the "conflict" surrounding the statute "has been created" by the minister herself and warned that this situation is "above all harming thousands of patients in Spain and thousands of patients in the Valencian Community."
When questioned about the professionals' demands, he stated that they seem "within logic" and "of what these regulatory advances that Spanish public health must have are." "We must listen to them, we must propose them, and we must reflect on them," he indicated, before emphasizing that "it cannot be" that the minister "does not sign with the doctors."
Gómez added that "what we are asking for, not only our Ministry, but all the ministries in Spain, which are the ones with health competencies, is loyal dialogue, honest dialogue, dialogue that favors the requests of all professional categories."
Reinforcement of health personnel in summer
Regarding the reinforcement of staff during the summer period, the head of Health explained: "We have increased reinforcements by 4% compared to the previous year, with an amount of approximately 85 million euros."
He specified that "the adaptation of the templates is done based on the estimated needs and after the lawful and legitimate right of the healthcare personnel to vacation", to finally add that they adjust the resources "in the forecast" they have "of the incidence and attendance" and try "to hire" the "necessary healthcare personnel for this".