The deputy for Lanzarote and La Graciosa and insular president of Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista (NC-BC), Yoné Caraballo, has expressed the urgent need to stop the advance of the mercantilist model of care that, in his opinion, Coalición Canaria (CC) is promoting in Lanzarote, and has defended a profound transformation of the socio-health system on the island based on greater public involvement and management, as well as the development of a true economy of care.
Caraballo has pointed out that Lanzarote has experienced notable population growth in recent years, accompanied by a progressive aging of society. “This reality demands brave and responsible public policies that guarantee dignified, universal, and quality care for our elders and dependent persons,” he stated.
In this regard, the deputy has criticized the direction that, according to his complaint, the island government of CC and PP intends to impose, betting on the progressive privatization and outsourcing of socio-health services. As an example, he has warned about the "plot" that exists behind the intended closure of the Insular Hospital of Lanzarote, "a benchmark of public service," which in his opinion they want to turn into a semi-private socio-health residence. "We cannot allow an essential public resource to be dismantled to put it at the service of private interests," he stressed.
Likewise, Caraballo has made reference to the recent known cases in nursing homes managed by private companies, which - as he indicated - have evidenced serious shortcomings in management and in the control mechanisms by the CC government in the Insular Council. “These episodes are not isolated incidents, but the direct consequence of a model that prioritizes economic benefit over people's well-being,” he denounced.
The deputy has insisted on the need to strengthen public services, increase investment in social and health services and move towards a care-centered model, where dignity, quality, and public control are the fundamental pillars. “Lanzarote needs a change of direction that places people at the center of policies, not business interests,” he concluded.
