Clavijo places water, housing, and healthcare at the center of Lanzarote's agenda

The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, held a working meeting this Wednesday with the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, to analyze the evolution of different strategic issues for Lanzarote and La Graciosa, linked to the improvement of public services, the response to the water emergency, housing policy, the demographic challenge, health and socio-health care, and collaboration between administrations.

During the meeting, held at the headquarters of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and in which the vice-president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, María Jesús Tovar, and the vice-counselor of the Cabinet of the Presidency, Octavio Caraballo, also participated, both presidents addressed the situation of the main projects that the Government of the Canary Islands and the island institution promote in a coordinated manner to respond to the needs of the citizens and reinforce the island's capacity to face current and future challenges.

Fernando Clavijo stressed that institutional collaboration "is key for solutions to reach people sooner and better," and highlighted that Lanzarote "is an example of how, when administrations work with shared objectives, projects can be unblocked, investments accelerated, and public services improved."

In this regard, the president valued the work carried out by the Cabildo of Lanzarote in water matters, especially after the declaration of the water emergency and the promotion of actions aimed at improving the production, distribution, and guarantee of supply. Clavijo pointed out that it is "a fundamental issue for the island" and acknowledged that the Cabildo "has bravely faced a complex problem, accumulated over years, to begin to provide real answers to the citizens."

Housing was another of the central issues of the meeting. The president of the Canary Islands recalled that Lanzarote is one of the most strained islands in the archipelago and highlighted the involvement of the Cabildo, despite not having direct responsibilities in this matter. "From minute one, the Cabildo of Lanzarote has wanted to be part of the solution, contributing land, resources, and administrative collaboration to facilitate the construction of public housing," he indicated.

Clavijo stressed that this cooperation is allowing progress in the promotion of new protected housing on the island and pointed out that the Government's objective is to "continue mobilizing land, simplifying procedures, and supporting local councils and island councils so that access to housing ceases to be a barrier for families and young people".

During the meeting, the demographic evolution of Lanzarote and the need to adapt public services to a growing, aging population with new health, social, residential, and mobility demands were also analyzed. Clavijo explained that the demographic challenge "cannot be addressed from a single variable," but from an integral perspective that combines land management, public services, housing, sustainability, stable employment, and improved family income.

In this context, the president highlighted the island's economic evolution and recalled that Lanzarote leads the archipelago's GDP per capita, a figure that, in his opinion, reflects "the work being done to move towards a more profitable, more balanced economy with greater capacity to generate opportunities." He also noted that the island is managing to improve the profitability of its economic activity "by reducing pressure on the territory," an objective that, he stated, "should also serve as a benchmark for the Canary Islands as a whole."

Clavijo also highlighted the increase in healthcare investment on the island during this legislature, which has gone from four million euros to 14 million, and announced that it will continue to grow in the next budgets. "Healthcare in Lanzarote needed investment, planning, and coordination, and that is what we are doing in conjunction with the Island Council and the professionals," he said.

For his part, the president of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, highlighted the regional Executive's support to face the water emergency and the initial results obtained after the recovery of direct management of the integral water cycle, with an increase of 3,000 cubic meters per day to the north of the island and actions such as the construction of the Tinache reservoir, which will supply water to the primary sector, or the supply works in La Graciosa. "In just one month, we are already beginning to see results. Our objective is to consolidate an effective public service, supported by the work of professionals and in collaboration with the Government of the Canary Islands," he stated.

Regarding housing, Betancort recalled that in this legislature the largest public housing plan in Lanzarote has been activated and stressed "the investment of 5.7 million euros from the Government of the Canary Islands, plus the injection of another 5 million euros from the Cabildo itself, to acquire 77 homes in Playa Blanca and allocate them to affordable rent, in addition to the incorporation of new land to increase the public residential park".

The Government of the Canary Islands concludes the renovation of the Tahíche Local Health Center

Subsequently, the President of the Canary Islands traveled to the Tahíche Local Health Center, in the municipality of Teguise, after the completion of the comprehensive rehabilitation and renovation works of its facilities. The project, which has involved an investment of half a million euros, has allowed the center to reopen with more accessible, safe, efficient, and comfortable spaces for both citizens and healthcare professionals.

During the tour of the facilities, Clavijo was accompanied by the Minister of Health, Esther Monzón; the president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort; and the mayor of Teguise, Olivia Duque.

Fernando Clavijo stressed that this action "is an example of how public investments must translate into concrete improvements in people's daily lives." In this regard, he pointed out that "renovating a health center like Tahíche is not just fixing a building, but guaranteeing more dignified, comfortable, and closer care for more than 4,000 people who have their reference health center here."

The president also emphasized that the improvement of healthcare infrastructure "is a priority for this Government, especially in non-capital islands and in municipalities that need strong and well-sized public services." "The Canary Islands must move forward by ensuring that the quality of care does not depend on where one lives. And that means continuing to invest in health centers, local health centers, and equipment," he stated.

Clavijo also highlighted that the intervention has made it possible to "eliminate architectural barriers, improve accessibility, and make the center more energy-efficient," incorporating solutions such as a photovoltaic plant for self-consumption. "We are talking about closer healthcare, but also about better-prepared public buildings, more sustainable and adapted to current needs," he added.

For its part, the Minister of Health, Esther Monzón, explained that the Tahíche Local Health Center, belonging to the Teguise Basic Health Zone, serves an assigned population of 4,011 individual health cards. Monzón highlighted that this action "reaffirms the commitment of the Canarian Health Service to the continuous improvement of the Primary Care network in Lanzarote, promoting more accessible, functional, and adequate spaces for citizens and healthcare teams".

A renovated, more accessible, and sustainable health center

The work carried out at the Tahíche Local Health Center has allowed for the renovation of the building's facilities, improvement of its accessibility, and adaptation of its spaces to the needs of users and professionals. The action has incorporated new technological systems and renewable energy-based solutions to increase the center's efficiency and sustainability.

Among the main improvements are the construction of a new adapted access ramp, the adaptation of restrooms for people with reduced mobility, the creation of accessible changing rooms for workers, and the elimination of architectural barriers. In addition, essential structural elements such as the roof, interior flooring, false ceilings, access doors, carpentry, and part of the center's furniture have been renovated.

Regarding the facilities, the works have allowed for the modernization of the electrical and communications network, the replacement of air conditioning and ventilation systems, the renovation of plumbing and sanitation installations, and the incorporation of an 8.3-kilowatt photovoltaic solar power plant for self-consumption.

More than 4,000 health cards assigned

The Tahíche Local Health Center provides healthcare to a reference population of 4,011 individual health cards. The center has a surface area of 172.87 square meters distributed on a single floor, with two medical consultation rooms, two nursing consultation rooms, a reception and waiting area, a storage room, an office, restrooms, and a changing room area.

Healthcare activity takes place from 08:00 to 20:00 hours by a team composed of nine professionals: three family doctors, three nursing professionals, one Auxiliary Nursing Care Technician, and two administrative assistants.

During 2025, the health center registered 23,864 consultations in Family and Community Medicine, 9,818 consultations in Nursing, and 4,182 blood draws and other diagnostic and therapeutic tests.

‘Arrecife + que Barrios’, culture and participation to revitalize the city

Within the agenda in Lanzarote, the President of the Canary Islands was invited to the presentation of the program ‘Arrecife + que Barrios’, an initiative for social, cultural, and economic revitalization that uses music, culture, and audiovisual creation as tools to strengthen community life and reactivate commercial activity in the neighborhoods of the municipality.

The project, in which the Presidency of the Government of the Canary Islands collaborates through the Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote with an investment of 400,000 euros, will be developed until October 30, 2026, and plans to reach more than 500 people of all ages each year, in addition to involving more than a hundred elderly people in cultural and community activities. The initiative will operate in areas such as Argana Alta and Maneje; Argana Baja and San Francisco Javier; La Vega, Las Salinas and La Destila; Arrecife center, La Concha and El Cable; Valterra, Los Alonso and El Lomo; Altavista and Tinasoria, and Titerroy.

The program combines musical training, workshops, community activities, and a mobile itinerant space equipped as a recording studio, with virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and audiovisual tools. Its objective is to bring cultural and technological creation closer to the neighborhoods, generate opportunities for local professionals, and contribute to the revitalization of commerce, hospitality, and services in the area.

Cáritas Comprehensive Care Center, a strategic infrastructure for Lanzarote's care network

The President of the Canary Islands also learned about the progress of the works for the future Cáritas Diocesana Comprehensive Care Center in the Altavista neighborhood. The project, financed by the Cabildo de Lanzarote with an investment of 10 million euros, will allow the recovery of a degraded and abandoned space since 2009 to turn it into an island benchmark for comprehensive care for people in situations of vulnerability. The complex will include a residence for dependent elderly people with 25 places, a day center, a soup kitchen for 50 people, a food bank, six emergency homes for families at risk, and an occupational training center.