The deputy and candidate for the presidency of the Cabildo de Lanzarote for Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista (NC-BC), Yoné Caraballo, has managed to get representatives from the works council of the Hospital Insular and the Platform in Defense of the Hospital Insular, including Dr. Blanca Torres, to participate next Wednesday, September 30, in the Health Commission of the regional Chamber.
During this external appearance, the representatives of the workers and the platform will be able to directly convey their concerns and proposals about the future of the center to the parliamentary groups and defend the continuity of the current geriatric care model.
Caraballo has highlighted that "the Hospital Insular constitutes a healthcare benchmark for Lanzarote and for the Canary Islands" and has recalled that "it has the only teaching center for the Geriatrics MIR specialty in the Archipelago. Professionals are trained there who subsequently develop their activity in geriatrics services in different hospitals in the Canary Islands."
"The Hospital Insular provides specialized geriatric care and, in addition, trains future Geriatrics specialists for our healthcare system. The risk of losing a model like this is not only a problem for Lanzarote, but an issue that affects the Canary Islands as a whole," the deputy points out.
The Canarianist has reiterated his defense of the continuity of the center as "the hospital of the people of Lanzarote" and has demanded that any action on its facilities preserve its healthcare and specialized character.
Caraballo also recalls that Lanzarote society has already publicly expressed its position in defense of the center with a mobilization that brought together more than 7,000 people.
Reform yes, but with guarantees of return
The deputy considers the reform and modernization of the Hospital Insular necessary, but demands that any temporary transfer of activity to the Hospital Dr. José Molina Orosa be conditioned on guarantees of return.
"We are aware that the Hospital Insular needs reform and that, in order to carry it out, it may be necessary to temporarily transfer activity to Molina Orosa. What we are not going to accept is that the transfer occurs first and then we will see what happens. The transfer must be made when there is a defined project, sufficient budget, and, above all, a firm commitment to return, with a timetable agreed with the workers," he maintains.
Caraballo considers that the appearance will allow the different parliamentary groups to directly know the concerns of the professionals and the platform. "We are not simply talking about a building. We are talking about a model of care for our elders, specialized professionals, health training, and a care heritage that belongs to all of Lanzarote," he adds.
The continuity of the Insular Hospital will be a condition for possible pacts
The candidate for the presidency of the Cabildo de Lanzarote has also pointed out that the continuity of the Insular Hospital will be one of the conditions that NC-BC will take into account in the configuration of future government majorities in the first insular institution, and has expressly ruled out a government agreement with Vox.
"I want to be absolutely clear, the continuity of the Insular Hospital will be a red line. If the citizens give us the responsibility to govern the Cabildo, I will prevent that on that land there is anything other than a large geriatric hospital, reformed, renovated, and adapted to the needs of our elders. The Insular Hospital cannot become a business," he states.
In this regard, Caraballo demands that the president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, publicly specify the future he plans for the facilities.
"Oswaldo Betancort has to be clear with his words and tell Lanzarote what exactly he wants to do. Are we talking about a health space, a hospital, or a socio-health space, that is, a residence? Health is not the same as socio-health. Behind this decision there is a care model, workers, and thousands of citizens and families who need to know what will happen to their hospital," he concludes.
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