- The Public Health Platform 100×100 warns that the University Hospital serves a potential population of 204,000 residents with health cards, compared to 90,000 when it was opened in 2006.
The Generalitat Valenciana allocated 11 million euros of investment for the improvement of the facilities of the Torrevieja University Hospital during 2023 but, to date, It has only spent a few thousand.
Now, the preliminary draft budget for 2024, has reduced it to only 1,100,000 euros, representing a fall of more than 90% over the planned 2023 figure. The information has been revealed by the Platform for 100×100 Public and Quality Health has revealed, taken from the investments section of the regional accounts document, which is publicly accessible and is in the public consultation period.
As such, the planned renovation and relocation of the rehabilitation gym that is now located in the most inaccessible space of the hospital, at the end of the second floor, the expansion of external consultations or the new rest rooms for patients and doctors will all have to wait. Only the construction of the new outpatient pharmacy is currently being considered, although the contract withdrawn following its first tender.
What appears in the budgets is very much in contrasts with the statements made by the Hospital Chief Executive, Dr. José Cano, during his meeting of mayors and public officials of the ten municipalities served by the health area, where he assured everyone that all these investments will be met net year.
Eva Delafuente and Manuel Gómez, spokespersons for the Platform, have both warned that this major resuction in investments occurs in a hospital with a very significant deficit in resources and physical space and will undoubtedly create additional problems in a facility that is already struggling to cope.
