Dozens of representatives from entities and associations in Ripollès gathered on Wednesday in front of the Campdevànol Regional Hospital to demand that the Department of Health not divide the region in the new health map. The protest focused on defending the hospital as a reference center and on the request for more resources for local health services
Concern over the possible loss of users and jobs
The management of the Ripollès hospital has warned that the Government's proposal would mean excluding the Vall de Camprodon, which would become dependent on the Olot hospital, in La Garrotxa. According to the regional center's calculations, the new care distribution would imply the loss of 32% of users, including the inhabitants of the Vall de Camprodon and Sant Joan de les AbadessesThe Sant Joan de les Abadesses City Council has requested to stop being part of the Ripoll CAP to join the Camprodon CAP, a request that Salut is still studying. From the hospital's management, it is warned that about eighty jobs and the viability of the center itself are at risk
Claims and demands of civil society
The manifesto read during the rally, open to citizens and new adhesions, claims to maintain the Hospital de Campdevànol as a reference for the entire region and to discard any change of health affiliation that may affect the care and economic balance of the center or the accessibility of the population to public servicesThe text denounces that the new health map could have a significant negative impact in the care, mobility, labor, and economic spheres. Furthermore, it demands an increase in care services, an improvement in equipment, and more investments to curb the degradation of some centers
"The regional hospital has many difficulties, it already has deficiencies and problems; we think this would be very bad" - Ramon Musacs, spokesperson
Musacs also underlined the need for a strong and powerful regional hospital, and demanded to reinforce it instead of weakening it.
Entities and unions back the protest
Among the entities that have signed the manifesto are associations such as Teixim Ripoll, Ripollès Existeix, Fundació Oncolliga del Ripollès, Cáritas, Òmnium Cultural del Ripollès, Rotary Club del Ripollès, and Fundació MAP. It is also supported by Coral Santa Maria de Ripoll, the CCOO and UGT Ripollès unions, and parties such as PSC Ripollès, Comuns Ripollès, ERC Ripollès, Alternativa-CUP Ripollès, and Junts per Ripoll
The document concludes by claiming that no person from Ripollès should have fewer services or less healthcare than any other person in Catalonia. The Department of Health has not yet detailed how the distribution of health resources will be, which will be divided into Integrated Health Areas
The manifesto also calls for labor incentives to attract and increase jobs, with the goal that healthcare personnel can develop their life project in the region. Civil society demands to participate in decisions that affect an essential public service such as healthcare.