The medical protest in the Canary Islands has resulted in the suspension of a total of 61,700 healthcare appointments since last December. Of these, 57,299 were consultations, 1,496 surgeries, and 2,906 diagnostic tests, according to recent data from the Canary Islands Government's Health Department. The economic cost of the conflict is estimated at over 150 million euros, and health authorities have requested an end to the mobilizations to begin a new negotiation phase.
The Director of the Canary Islands Health Service (SCS), Adasat Goya, described the situation as "very dramatic," emphasizing that the damage to the healthcare system and citizens' health is more severe than the economic impact. The strike, now in its 26th day, is part of the conflict between the medical collective and the Ministry of Health over the reform of the Marco Statute.
The Government of the Canary Islands will soon present a proposal to the unions to improve doctors' working conditions, including increasing pay per on-call hour, hiring more professionals, and reorganizing shifts to eliminate 24-hour on-call duties. However, the regional executive insists that the protest's origin is national and regrets that the autonomous communities are suffering its consequences.
SCS Director Adasat Goya criticized the Canary Islands Medical Union (CESM Canarias) for not recognizing implemented improvements and for the delay in presenting a definitive proposal. He recalled that the current legislature has seen an increase of over 1 billion euros in the health budget and the addition of 1,142 more physicians.
Plans include raising the pay for on-call hours, currently around 23.9 euros, to approximately 27 or 28 euros per hour, a 20% increase. The aim is also to reorganize shifts to reduce 24-hour on-call duties, although the difficulty due to a shortage of professionals is acknowledged. Other measures include updating professional career paths and improvements in Primary Care.
“"We ask that the strike calls and the suspension of extraordinary activity cease so that we can study the proposals we will send you in the coming days."
The Canary Islands Government made a direct appeal to the unions to suspend the mobilizations and study the proposals. Goya emphasized the unprecedented support for the medical collective and regretted that the system and patients are the most affected. Negotiations are conditioned by a general shortage of doctors, a problem that extends beyond the regional scope.
