The leadership of the Popular Party comes out in defense of the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, before the health strike, which this week marks three months since it began. The general secretary of the training, Cuca Gamarra, has assured today that Ayuso is doing “everything in his power and more” in this matter and to try to call off the protests of the professionals of Primary Care and out-of-hospital emergencies (which today three days of strike start until Wednesday), to which those from hospitals will join next week.
Gamarra, in statements to RNE, wanted to downplay the situation, arguing that the waiting lists “in Madrid are much smaller than in communities where the PSOE governs.” The number 2 of the Popular Party has also claimed the presence of Madrid hospitals in international rankings and the “many reference centers” that welcome citizens from other communities.
Gamarra’s defense joins the exit to the step of the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who on Saturday criticized the political use that he believes was made with the demonstration in Madrid last week. “It is much cheaper and easier to make a banner than to make a hospital. We like to make hospitals and others like to make banners”, snapped the popular leader.
Feijóo blamed the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, for making “opposition to the autonomous communities” and for holding them responsible for health management “in order to save themselves.”
In this line, Gamarra has also spoken today, who has pointed out some health unions for the “political use” of the strike, with which he believes that they seek to cause “wear” to the Madrid Executive. However, he has recognized that “there is a need” in the sector, but rejects that the solution is “to use healthcare in a situation in which everyone is aware of the lack of doctors, which is not the responsibility of President Ayuso” .
Gamarra has demanded from Sánchez that the Ministry of Health stop being “like a platform to project candidates” – alluding to the departure of Salvador Illa, two years ago, for the Catalan elections, and Carolina Darias, which will take place on short term to run for mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – and to assume his responsibilities in this matter.
The strike days of Primary Care doctors are going on forever and threaten to wear down the popular ones in view of the next electoral contests. This week marks three months since the calls began, and although there was a truce during Christmas, the controversy has intensified again in recent weeks.
From today until Wednesday, the workers of the extra-hospital emergencies will be mobilized, while on Thursday all the categories of Primary Care will do so. On March 1 and 2, hospital doctors will join the protests, after the call announced by the Amyts union last Friday.
