Rudolph Angler More than 30,000 people marched through Madrid on Sunday to protest the regional government’s healthcare policies. The protest was organized under the slogan “Let’s save our public health” and led by the citizen platform ‘Vecinas y vecinos de los barrios y pueblos.’ Demonstrators started from four different points in the city and gathered in the center, accusing the government of dismantling Madrid’s public healthcare system.
Protesters highlighted major issues, including long delays for medical appointments and chronic shortages of healthcare staff. They pointed out that one million people remain on waiting lists, while tens of thousands of children do not have assigned paediatricians.
Ricardo Chacón, one of the event’s organizers, criticized the increasing role of private companies in healthcare. He argued that private interests are now guiding health decisions instead of patient needs. Luis López, another organizer, demanded that 25% of the health budget be allocated to primary care. The organizers emphasized that prevention is more cost-effective and efficient than treating illnesses after they occur. They called for a healthcare model focused on accessibility and quality for all citizens.
Left-wing political leaders and trade unions joined the protesters to demand immediate action. Reyes Maroto from the Socialist Party expressed solidarity with those who cannot access private healthcare, standing with “thousands still waiting for appointments.” Manuela Bergerot from Más Madrid presented worrying statistics: 139,000 children have no paediatrician, and 625,000 adults lack a family doctor.
Bergerot blamed the worsening health crisis on privatisation. She criticized contracts between the regional government and the private Quirón Group, alleging close ties between Quirón and the partner of regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso. Irene Montero of Podemos declared, “Without public healthcare, there’s no democracy or dignity.” She warned that increasing privatisation threatens universal access to medical treatment.
The protest exposed growing political tensions over healthcare policies in Madrid. Citizens demanded the reversal of privatisation efforts and called on the regional government to reinvest in public hospitals and clinics. They pushed for structural reforms in healthcare management and funding. Speakers argued that profit-driven healthcare models fail to meet the community’s needs and criticized the decline in focus on primary and preventive care.
The protesters made it clear they will not accept further cuts to public health services. Madrid’s streets echoed with calls for fairness, transparency, and stronger protections in healthcare. The event reflected deep dissatisfaction with how healthcare is managed in Spain’s wealthiest region.