Oviedo (EFE).- The Minister of Health Pablo González, has shown this Tuesday all his respect towards the thousands of health workers who demonstrated on Sunday in Oviedo in defense of public health, he has said he is aware of the existing discontent and the need to bet on dialogue and negotiation to improve their working conditions and, consequently, improve health care.
In response to questions put by the IU and Podemos in plenary session of the Principality’s General Board, the head of health has stated that no one can doubt the Asturian Government’s commitment to public health and that this can be seen in the budgets of the Principality.
“We are aware of the great difficulty of this moment and of the existing discomfort and for this reason we must continue working, discussing and improving in many aspects, but we are clear about our commitment to public health”, he stated.
According to the counselor, the pandemic caused a “very important degree of tension” for the health system due to the effort it demanded from the professionals, so the discomfort that exists “is understandable and the concern is certainly shared.”
Dialogue is “essential”
The commitment to dialogue with professionals “is essential at this time”, stated the counselor, who has stressed that “continue working on it to achieve the necessary improvements for their working conditions”.
At the same time, he added, health infrastructures must be improved and thus facilitate their work, because that will also result in improved health care.
Fernández recalled that this year, only for the first phase of the expansion of Cabueñes, there are 79 million euros reserved, and that more than 12 million, figures that, in his opinion, do not show that there is a commitment to private health.
“The risk is in the health model of the right, which is not an example to follow, neither that of Madrid, nor that of Andalusia or where they govern”, he added, after pointing out that in Asturias primary centers are not privatized or closed and peripheral outpatient clinics are maintained.
The counselor has also described as “important news” that the University has decided to increase the number of places in Medicine next year, which, compared to the 100 offered at the beginning of the century, will increase to 165 in 2022-2023, fifteen more than the current.
To undertake this increase, the Ministry of Health will provide 879,000 euros of additional funding, 58,655 euros per student. EFE
