Politicians from the Almuñécar opposition party, the PA, handed over 3,000 signatures at the town’s medical centre demanding promised medical facilities.

The Junta de Andalucia reached an accord in May 2004 with the Town Hall whereby the municipality would provide a building plot (where the medical centre now sits) and carry out the construction of the building. This cost the town coffers 1,742,000 euros, plus a further 302.000 euros for medical equipment.

The Junta would provide the medical staff and a whole range of medical departments that would mean that Almuñequeros wouldn’t have to go to the Motril hospital to receive certain treatments.

Consequently the Centro de Salud de Almuñécar offers General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Gynaecology, Habilitation, Traumatology, Radiology and Odontology.

However, the agreed departments of Gastroenterology, Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Dermatology, Urology, Obstetrics and Otorhinolaryngology were never set up.

The centre was also to have a full staff of 16 general practitioners, four paediatricians and 20 nurses. However, thanks to cuts in health spending, the centre has severe staff shortages most of the year.

Lastly, in a recent Plenary Meeting it was unanimously accorded to approach the Junta and demand the missing services, but the Andalucista party decided that they would go a step further and collect signatures to provide further pressure.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)