Health care for people in an irregular administrative situation has focused this Tuesday part of the debate in the Balearic Parliament, where the Minister of Health, Manuela Garcia, has rejected that this group poses a threat to the sustainability of the public health system.
As the minister explained, during the last year, the care provided to people without legal residence has accounted for approximately 1% of the total number of Primary Care consultations in the Balearic Islands, a percentage that, in her opinion, dismantles the argument that this factor is behind the difficulties of the system.
“Excluding collectives opens the door to epidemic risks.”
García made these statements in response to a question from Vox deputy Patricia de las Heras, who warned of an alleged negative impact of the “growing volume of health care for people in an irregular situation without foresight or extraordinary provision”, although she did not provide specific data.
The minister was categorical in this respect: “This is not where the sustainability of the system is endangered“. On the contrary, she defended the fact that guaranteeing healthcare access to the entire population reinforces the security of the system, a lesson learned during the covid-19 pandemic. “Excluding any group means opening the door to outbreaks and epidemic risks,” he stressed.
During his speech, García insisted that it is an obligation of the public healthcare system to protect citizens, regardless of their administrative situation. “Limiting access is not only unfair, but also dangerous,” he stressed, defending a healthcare model based on prevention and public health.
Cross accusations with Vox
The debate intensified with the intervention of the spokeswoman for Vox, Manuela Cañadas, who accused the Government of “burdening the health system” with the care of 200,000 people in an irregular situation and of assuming 28,000 hospital stays, even going so far as to speak of a supposed “ghost hospital” dedicated exclusively to migrants.
“It is a swindle and an insult,” said Cañadas, assuring that while resources are allocated to this group, taxpayers suffer endless waiting lists.
Prohens: “The data are out of context”.
The president of the Govern, Marga Prohens, has replied to Vox assuring that the data provided are “out of context“. As she explained, in the last year 100,000 people without legal residence have been attended, compared to a total volume of 10 million attentions in Primary Care.
“The data it gives does not represent even 1% of the health activity,” said Prohens, closing the debate and supporting the position of the Regional Ministry of Health.
