In less than a week, four members of medical staff in the Southern Health Area (Costa Tropical & Alpujarra) have been physically abused.

Just between Saturday and Monday, three doctors and a nurse were verbally and physically abused by patients. Two of these incidents took place in the area hospital of Santa Ana.

In one of the incidents, a female patient kicked a doctor and in the other incident three woman shoved and threatened to kill a female nurse because of a delay in dealing with a patient – they had demanded that a boy belonging to one of them be treated rapidly.

The other incidents took place in the medical centre in Gualchos-Castell de Ferro and the other in a Motril medical centre.

The reaction of the medical staff towards these incidents has been unanimous condemnation and a protest has been organised outside the A&E entrance of Hospital Santa Ana today at noon as well as in front of every medical centre on the Costa Tropical and the Alpujarra.

The union spokesperson for the CCOO, Encarni Vedia, said, “it is very sad that medical personnel have to work in conditions lacking security, especially when you take into account that the sector has sacrificed so much during this pandemic, risking their lives.”

Editoral comment: I don’t care if it sounds too draconian; these people should be banned from entering a public hospital or medical centre – if you can’t behave, you don’t deserve to be treated by a public doctor or nurse.

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