Hundreds of Thousands Rally in Madrid in Protest of Public Healthcare Policy

The rally, convened by unions of healthcare workers, left-leaning political parties and various civic organizations, was held under the slogan "Madrid rising in the name of public health."

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of the Spanish capital as part of a mass protest against the healthcare policy of Madrid's regional head Isabel Diaz Ayuso, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Sunday.

According to the government's estimates, around 200,000 people joined the protests, while organizers put the attendance at 650,000.

Madrid's regional government, headed by Ayuso, member of the right-wing Popular Party, faced severe criticism in recent years — particularly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — due to a shortage of healthcare personnel in hospitals and primary health care centers. Protesters are calling for ramping up the primary care budget, as well as increasing staff across the board.

The organizers point out that the Madrid government heavily underfunds healthcare services and invests least in health per inhabitant than any other region in Spain.

Ayuso denies any problems with healthcare staffing or funding, claiming that the protests are staged by the left-wing parties in the run-up to the 2023 municipal and regional elections.