Residents of San Miguel de Salinas and Los Montesinos are raising alarm over a mounting healthcare crisis, with just eight family doctors serving a population of over 15,000—equating to nearly 2,000 patients per physician, far above the regional average.
On Wednesday, the Platform for 100% Public and Quality Healthcare staged a protest outside the San Miguel health centre, temporarily blocking 19 de Abril Street in the town centre. Demonstrators demanded that the Valencian Generalitat fulfil its 2023 promise to expand the facility, address staff shortages, and improve public transport links to Torrevieja University Hospital.
Despite a 2023 commitment from Torrevieja Health Department manager José Cano to study a centre expansion, no visible progress has been made. Protesters labelled the promise a “broken commitment” as appointment wait times stretch far beyond the 48-hour standard for primary care access.
The situation is especially dire in the basic health area, which also serves Los Montesinos and Entre Naranjos. The region suffers from some of the longest delays in the entire health department, with healthcare professionals overwhelmed and infrastructure struggling to keep pace with population growth—fueled by a current construction boom of 3,000 new homes.
The platform also criticized the lack of regular public transport to Torrevieja Hospital, calling it a major barrier to accessing essential services. “We need a functioning public transport system, not more asphalt,” said spokesperson Eva Delafuente.
Among the demonstrators were Socialist mayors Juan de Dios Fresneda (San Miguel) and José Manuel Butrón (Los Montesinos), alongside regional deputy Ana Belén Juárez. Their presence sparked some criticism, as they had been largely absent from similar protests during the previous regional administration.
Image courtesy: the Platform for 100% Public and Quality Healthcare
