Pedro Sánchez reiterates his commitment to further strengthening the national health system, stating that 'by investing in healthcare, we are building democracy'

The president announces that the Government will invest an additional 30 million euros in digitising the equipment that analyses cancer samples in hospitals, which will "improve how the disease is detected and how the best therapy is decided for each patient."

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his closing speech at the commemorative event (Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has reiterated the Government's commitment to "strengthening, promoting, and expanding" the national health system, stating that "the health of our public healthcare system is one of the best indicators of a country's democratic health. By investing in healthcare, we are building democracy."

He affirmed this at the commemorative event for the 40th anniversary of the General Health Law, which was promoted by the Socialist Minister Ernest Lluch. A law that championed health "as a right, not a privilege. That it be universal, equitable, and territorially cohesive. That Spain, ultimately, commit to dignity," Sánchez stated. "Now it is up to us to care for it, defend it, and improve it. Not out of inertia, but out of conviction," he remarked.

Pedro Sánchez pointed out that, since the approval of this law in 1986, "we have gained eight years of life expectancy" and "we have been world leaders in organ donation and transplantation for more than thirty years."

During his speech, the head of the Executive stressed that, from day one, his government has been committed to strengthening public healthcare: Primary Care has been reinforced, expanding the range of diagnostic procedures; the right of all women to assisted reproduction has been reinstated, and newborn screening programmes have been expanded; The Veo Plan, a system of subsidies of up to €100 to pay for glasses and contact lenses for children and adolescents, has been launched; more than €180 million has been allocated to oral health; and the ALS Law and the PERTE (Strategic Healthcare Plan) have been approved, in which almost €268 million has been invested in the last five years.

€30 million investment to upgrade cancer-fighting equipment

Pedro Sánchez made special mention of the "boost in innovation against cancer" being carried out by his government through the INVEAT plan, which has allocated almost €800 million to renew and expand high-tech medical equipment used in the fight against this disease. Advanced therapies, such as CAR-T, "which are already saving lives," are also being developed.

On this point, he announced that the Government will "invest an additional 30 million euros in the digitisation of pathology equipment. That is, in the modernisation of the equipment that analyses cancer samples in hospitals." This investment will serve to "improve how the disease is detected and how the best therapy is decided for each patient," and will achieve three key things: first, "that doctors can combine tumour information with the patient's genetic data," which allows for a much more precise diagnosis and the selection of the best cancer treatment for each individual. Second, "that knowledge will no longer depend on where you live," since specialists will be able to share information and experience between hospitals, so that any patient, wherever they are, has access to the best possible care. And third, "that we continue transforming the way we practice cancer medicine." "Ultimately, it's about investing in technology to get there faster, be more accurate, and treat better," he said.

Destination of the additional €300 billion transferred to the autonomous communities

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his closing speech at the commemorative event | Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo

The president also addressed "certain autonomous communities" and reminded them that "since 2018, the Government of Spain has increased healthcare spending by 30% and transferred €300 billion more to the autonomous communities than the previous administration did, so that they could dedicate it to the Welfare State." "Where have these additional resources that we transferred to the autonomous communities gone? How is it possible that, having transferred €300 billion more than the previous administration, today healthcare, its state, the service, is one of the main concerns of our fellow citizens? Citizens deserve an answer," he stated.

"Public health is one of our country's greatest collective achievements. We cannot jeopardise it through misguided decisions, ideological fanaticism, or a lack of priorities," warned Sánchez, who added that protecting healthcare "is an act of justice, but also of intelligence."

For this reason, he recalled that in 2018, the government began to restore universal healthcare and was able to treat thousands of Ukrainians who arrived fleeing war in 2021. Furthermore, on 10 March, the government approved a new decree guaranteeing access to public healthcare for everyone, including non-resident foreigners. The question is not "where the patient was born, how much money they have in their account, or how many years they have contributed to the system. The question that defines our healthcare system, and that we must preserve because it is in danger, is:

"What kind of country do we want to be?" "And today we are a country where getting sick is not the beginning of ruin," he concluded.

The event, which also included a speech by the Minister for Health, Mónica García, was attended by the Minister for Finance, Arcadi España; the Minister for Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda, Pablo Bustinduy; and the Minister for Equality, Ana Redondo.

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