"For a quality public health" thousands of people have gone to the streets in Vitoria, Bilbao and San Sebastian. They denounce the "grave situation" of Osakidetza and request the resignation of Gotzone Sagardui, Health Advisor of the Basque Government, as "principal responsible for the deterioration of the public health system". The mobilizations have been convened by the Public Health Platforms (OPA) and dozens of social and trade union agents have joined.

The members of the OPA comment on several problems that are occurring in Osakidetza: close points of care, schedule restrictions, difficulties in face-to-face care, long waiting times for telephone calls, collapse of Primary Care and saturation of emergency that is occurring or long waiting lists for appointments with specialists and interventions.

They denounce the strengthening of private health while "Osakidetza is dissolved". They therefore call on the PNV and the PSE to abandon the policies of privatisation, dissolution and cutbacks.

Upcoming strikes

Trade unions have called for several days of strike in the coming days. This week, on Thursday, the trade unions ELA, LAB, SATSE, SME, ESK, UGT, CCOO and SAE have called for a strike in the Rural Environment of Álava against the rotation system being proposed by Osakidetza in the area and denouncing the permanent partial contracts of the workers. By 19 and 20 May, all trade unions have called strikes throughout Osakidetza.