Vanessa Cabrera, a Fasnia resident leading a grassroots movement to advocate for a permanent ambulance stationed in the municipality, expressed her satisfaction yesterday with the strong citizen response to the ongoing signature collection campaign she initiated until mid-June. She announced that the campaign will now be extended to the areas of Agache (Güímar) and Icor and Los Morales (Arico), stating, “Our goal is to have an ambulance service readily available in the region.”
Supported unequivocally by the Fasnia City Council, according to Mayor Luis Javier González, Vanessa aims to gather over 500 signatures to present to the council, which will then forward them to the Ministry of Health. The Fasniero councilor has already been in contact with Esther Monzón, the ministry official responsible, to inform her about the forthcoming submission of residents’ signatures.
A SHINING EXAMPLE
The mayor emphasised the significance of this initiative in an interview with this newspaper, citing the recent agreement between the Government of the Canary Islands and the mayors of the 47 least populated municipalities in the archipelago to enhance the residents’ quality of life through the Sustainable Rural Plan. “What better illustration of this than fulfilling the need for an ambulance in the region!” remarked Luis Javier González.
The petition signed by locals suggests setting up a permanent ambulance base in the towns of Las Eras or Los Roques, highlighting their strategic locations near the highway. Also noted are the high number of elderly residents in the municipality and the limited operating hours of the central health facility in Fasnia. “Moreover, we have 320 enrolled children participating in extracurricular activities like football and Canarian wrestling,” added the campaign’s advocate.
Vanessa Cabrera, who is 43 years old, is leading the signature drive alongside Tatiana González, another local resident. Both are parents of young children with food allergies who may require urgent hospital transfers in the event of severe allergic reactions.
“I had to rush my 3-year-old son to the hospital for anaphylaxis, as there were no ambulances available, and the response time was too long,” shared Vanessa with DIARIO DE AVISOS. She acknowledged considering relocating elsewhere due to these concerns but stressed, “My son’s health takes precedence above all else.”
INCREDIBLE SUPPORT
Vanessa is buoyed by the positive community reception to her campaign and is optimistic that the upcoming Family Day celebration in Fasnia this Sunday will further bolster the support for the cause.
“We are delighted with the success of the signature drive and remain hopeful about the Ministry of Health’s response,” noted the dedicated activist, who hinted at the possibility of establishing a citizen platform in the future. However, she emphasised, “For now, our main focus is on collecting signatures.”
