Mass protests in Madrid
On Monday, March 16, doctors from the Community of Madrid have begun an indefinite strike that will last until Friday, March 20, in an effort to demand a statute of their own to regulate their working conditions. The mobilization, called by the union Asociación de Médicos y Titulados Superiores de Madrid (Amyts), has seen around 500 doctors march from the Congress of Deputies to the Ministry of Health.
The demands of the medical collective are clear and urgent. Among the main claims is the need to regulate the working hours and on-call system. Professionals report that current regulations allow for excessive hours, with some doctors working up to 96 hours on call. Although there has been a proposal to reduce this time to 75 hours, many believe it is still insufficient to ensure both their health and patient safety.
Throughout this week, Amyts has scheduled several gatherings at different hospitals and health centres. After the inaugural event on Monday, protests will continue on Tuesday in front of Ramón y Cajal Hospital, on Wednesday at Infanta Leonor Hospital, on Thursday outside the Health Department, and will culminate on Friday in front of Puerta de Hierro Hospital.
Despite the growing discontent among healthcare professionals, Mónica García, head of the Ministry of Health, has not held meetings with the expanded committee since the mobilizations began. Ángela Hernández, secretary general of Amyts, expressed her frustration by stating: “What’s strange is that it seems this doesn’t matter to the Ministry. All our efforts to engage in dialogue have gone unanswered.”
Apart from the demand for a statute of their own, doctors are also concerned about overcrowding and staff shortages. This situation is placing additional pressure on doctors and could compromise the quality of service provided to patients. Hernández warned of a possible increase in aggression towards professionals due to these work tensions.
As this strike progresses, it is clear that improving working conditions is essential to attract and retain talent within the public healthcare system. “This strike is a failure for us because we didn’t want to reach this point,” Hernández concluded. However, she emphasized that without significant changes in their working conditions, it will be difficult to ensure adequate medical care for all.
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