Thousands of Lanzaroteans participated this Saturday in the White Tide called in defense of the Insular Hospital, staging a massive mobilization to demand the continuity of the center and the geriatric and care model developed for decades in Lanzarote.
The demonstration started from Parque Islas Canarias and went through the streets of Arrecife until it reached the Insular Hospital. Families, professionals, patients, social groups, and citizens from all municipalities walked together to demand guarantees about the future of one of the island's most beloved and valued health resources.
The general secretary of the PSOE of Lanzarote and deputy in Congress, María Dolores Corujo, participated in the mobilization along with numerous public officials, organic representatives, and socialist militants, and highlighted the firmness of the message conveyed by the citizens.
“Lanzarote has spoken loud and clear to demand the continuity of the Insular Hospital and a dignified and humane care model. Thousands of people have filled the streets to defend our elders, accompany their families, and support professionals who have been caring for this island for decades,” Corujo declared.
Corujo assured that the mobilization constitutes a direct response to the uncertainty generated by the decisions of the Government of the Canary Islands and the attitude of the president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort.
“Oswaldo Betancort and Coalición Canaria must listen to what Lanzarote has expressed in the street. The citizens demand certainties, deadlines, funding, and guarantees so that the Insular Hospital continues to fulfill the function it has developed for 75 years,” she pointed out.
Oswaldo Betancort has tried to discredit the mobilization
Corujo lamented that Oswaldo Betancort has dedicated his efforts to questioning the motivations of the White Tide and labeling the mobilization as political, instead of addressing the concerns of families, professionals, and social groups.
“Oswaldo Betancort has tried to discredit a profoundly citizen mobilization. Today thousands of people have responded to him by filling the streets with dignity. Behind each banner was a concerned family, a professional defending their work, and an elderly person who deserves to receive the best care,” she affirmed.
For the socialist general secretary, the response of the president of the Cabildo demonstrates a lack of sensitivity to a demand shared by broad sectors of Lanzarote society.
“Betancort had the opportunity to take the lead in the defense of the Insular Hospital and demand guarantees from Fernando Clavijo and the Government of the Canary Islands. He has preferred to protect Coalición Canaria and question those who raise their voices. Lanzarote needs a president who firmly defends the island's interests,” she stated.
A geriatric model built over decades
The PSOE of Lanzarote highlighted that the Insular Hospital has developed an integral, public, and specialized geriatric care model for more than seven decades, based on proximity, professionalism, and respect for the dignity of the elderly.
Corujo valued the work of the health, care, and social teams that have made the center a benchmark for geriatric care in the Canary Islands.
“The Insular Hospital represents much more than a building. It is the result of the effort, experience, and sensitivity of generations of professionals who have built their own model, profoundly human and adapted to the needs of our elders and their families,” she affirmed.
The general secretary stressed that this model allows the elderly to receive comprehensive care, close to their loved ones and from specialized professionals who know their reality and their needs.
“A society demonstrates its values in the way it cares for those who have dedicated their lives to building it. Our elders deserve dignified, close, and quality care. That is the essence of the Insular Hospital and the health and social heritage that Lanzarote has come out to defend,” she stated.
Alongside families and professionals
Corujo conveyed the support of the PSOE of Lanzarote for the families of the patients and the workers of the center, who have repeatedly expressed their concern about the lack of certainty regarding the future of the hospital.
“We are alongside the families who need peace of mind and answers. We are also alongside the professionals who have sustained this hospital with enormous commitment. Their work deserves recognition, resources, and guarantees to be able to continue,” she indicated.
The general secretary of the socialists in Lanzarote highlighted the emotion experienced during the march, in which people of different generations and sensitivities participated, united by the defense of the Insular Hospital.
“Today we have seen entire families, former workers, active professionals, patients, and citizens from all municipalities walking together. Each person carried with them a story, a memory, and a reason to defend this hospital. This White Tide represents the strength of an island that protects what it considers its own,” she added.
Coalición Canaria must offer guarantees
The PSOE of Lanzarote considers that the citizen response forces Oswaldo Betancort and the Government of Canarias, presided over by Fernando Clavijo, to abandon ambiguities and present a clear commitment that guarantees the continuity of the Insular Hospital, its services, and its geriatric model.
“Coalición Canaria governs in the Cabildo and in Canarias. It has the responsibility to offer a solution and guarantee the future of the Insular Hospital. Generic statements or promises without dates are no longer useful. Lanzarote demands action,” argued Corujo.
The socialist general secretary demanded that any action regarding the center preserve its healthcare, educational, and organizational capacity, maintain professional teams, and guarantee the continuity of comprehensive geriatric care.
“The future of the Insular Hospital must be decided by listening to its professionals, families, and Lanzarotean society. Oswaldo Betancort must defend this model before the Government of Canarias and stop acting as a spokesperson for his party’s interests,” she expressed.
Corujo finally thanked the work of the Marea Blanca Platform, the professionals, the families, the social groups, and all the people who made the mobilization possible.
“Lanzarote has given a lesson in dignity and unity. Thousands of people have said that our elders deserve dignified and humane care and that the Insular Hospital is part of our history, our present, and our future. Oswaldo Betancort and Coalición Canaria must listen to this citizen mandate. The Insular Hospital is not to be touched,” she concluded.
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