Arona seeks solutions to the healthcare deficiencies for the over 30,000 inhabitants residing in the south-western areas. The issue of the outdated medical centre in Las Galletas is compounded this month by a setback: the fire that broke out in the same facility on the 10th, which forced the Ministry of Health of the Canary Islands Government to redirect patients to the El Fraile health centre.
Public authorities have been trying for years to find medium and long-term solutions to improve the service that residents deserve, but none have borne fruit. The Urban Planning and Health councils, led by More for Arona councilors Luis García and Pura Martín, have put forward two new proposals: offering the regional government available land in the heart of Las Galletas, near the pavilion, or an already constructed but unused building in Costa del Silencio.
The Arona councillors have already visited the plot and the building and have started the process to facilitate this transfer, which would lead to the construction of a new medical centre on the plot, or the conversion of premises that would only need to be adapted for healthcare use in the case of the building. “We have started working on this because it is an urgent necessity not only for the inhabitants of Las Galletas, but also for other south-western areas of Arona such as Costa del Silencio, Ten Bel, Guargacho, El Coromoto or Las Rosas,” García assures.
The Las Galletas medical centre, currently closed due to a fire. / E. D.
The population growth in these bedroom communities of the tourist sector of Arona has been such that the infrastructures, especially healthcare facilities, have become insufficient to cater to so many residents. The previous option considered was a premises in Ten Bel, but the Ministry of Health discarded it at the end of last year. Hence, Luis García and Pura Martín have sought new alternatives to expedite procedures and find a solution.
The south-west of Arona urgently needs a new medical centre to serve over 30,000 inhabitants
Meanwhile, the only solutions that have been reached are makeshift measures dictated by circumstances that worsen the situation. The team from the Las Galletas clinic, composed of four Family Care units – each consisting of a Family Medicine professional, a Nursing professional, and an administrative staff member – had to be relocated from last Monday the 11th to the El Fraile health centre, which is already overwhelmed, in order to continue providing healthcare services. The closed health centre as a result of the fire on the 10th has a registered population of 8,783 individual health cards.
The El Fraile centre where patients from Las Galletas are treated. / E. D.
“The south-west of Arona requires a new medical centre, in line with the needs of over 30,000 inhabitants in this part of the municipality,” emphasizes Luis García, who mentions that together with the responsible person for the municipal Health area, they have already initiated discussions to be able to offer the land or building they visited to the authorities of the Health department of the Canary Islands Government as soon as possible.
The Arona City Council assures that they are “in direct and continuous communication” with the Ministry of Health to know the assessment of the damages in the Las Galletas building, carried out by the technicians from the Infrastructures service of the Canary Health Service, as well as to be informed of the daily activity at the El Fraile medical centre.
