It was inaugurated on February 28 and has already faced its first problems. Last Monday, the 14th, a woman suffered a heart attack in the newly opened Costa Teguise clinic and paramedics had to take her down the stairs on a stretcher, as there is no elevator adapted to a health center. The only one that exists is the one in the shopping center, where there is no space for a stretcher.
As shown in a video accessed by La Voz, several workers from the Canary Emergency Service (SUC) were forced to take this woman down the stairs to the ambulance in order to transfer her to the Doctor José Molina Orosa Hospital. "We believe it is regrettable because there is an obvious risk when transferring a user on a stretcher," said Fernando Jiménez, president of the Lanzarote Consumers Association (Aculanza).
This association has already conveyed this complaint to the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Paulino Rivero, in the same letter in which it demands the dismissal of the Hospital Manager, Blanca Fraguela. In addition, it will hold an assembly where it will most likely decide to transfer this complaint to tourism entrepreneurs so that they "put pressure" on this situation.
"When the clinic was inaugurated, we already denounced the circumstance of the elevators. We understand that the site is not the ideal one," said Jiménez, who believes that the responsibility lies with the Teguise City Council "because it is the one that rents the premises" and the health officials of Lanzarote, "who all appear in the inauguration photo" of this health center.
"A situation that leaves much to be desired"
The case of this foreign woman who suffered a heart attack is the first to reach Aculanza's ears, which considers that this situation "leaves much to be desired." "The City Council and the Ministry of Health should see what solution they give to this issue. Even if it is a provisional clinic, we will have to correct it," demanded Fidel Ascensión, spokesperson for the health field of Aculanza.
In addition, the association has "doubts" about whether the regulations allow a medical clinic to be located on the same floor as a shopping center. "We would have to ask the City Council, because we are not clear about it," Ascensión insisted.
Therefore, Aculanza believes that this installation "is not suitable" for healthcare activity, as it has "access problems" and is located in a shopping center.
The PP criticized the "improvisation" in its opening
Precisely, days after this health center was inaugurated, the PP denounced the "electoral rush" and the "improvisation" in its opening. The formation assured that "numerous deficiencies had been detected in the installation located on the second floor of a shopping center, without an elevator for stretchers or wheelchairs, a small parking area and without connection to public transport."
