Southern Tenerife Healthcare Group Marks 30 Years Demanding Hospital Expansion Completion
The Pro-Hospital of Southern Tenerife Platform is marking its 30th anniversary by demanding the urgent completion of a hospital expansion and associated social care facilities to address critical overcrowding and regional healthcare gaps.
The Pro-Hospital of Southern Tenerife Platform has reached its 30th anniversary, making it the longest-running citizen advocacy group for healthcare infrastructure in Spain. In a recent interview with the newspaper El Día, spokesperson Jordi Esplugas confirmed that the group is closely monitoring the project’s timeline, with the expansion now expected to be finished by the end of 2030.
The longevity of this movement, which began in 1996, highlights a recurring issue in the Canary Islands: public services have failed to keep pace with rapid population growth. According to Esplugas, the hospital is currently struggling with a major bottleneck. Nearly 60% of its beds are occupied by patients who have been medically cleared to leave but remain in the hospital because there are no social or long-term care facilities available for them. The platform argues that expanding the hospital will be ineffective unless the Cabildo of Tenerife also builds the promised 150-bed social care center.
The 43-million-euro expansion project is currently being monitored for budget compliance. Officials have earmarked 14 million euros for the 2027 fiscal year, though progress depends on how quickly contracts are awarded in the first half of that year. Once construction begins, the platform estimates it will take three years to complete.
The project is further complicated by the hospital’s role in the wider region. Because of its proximity to the port of Los Cristianos, the facility is expected to serve patients from the "Green Islands," such as La Gomera. The platform warns that if the new design does not account for future growth and the area's high tourism levels, the facility will quickly become outdated.
While the group is not currently organizing protests, it remains on high alert. Over the last three decades, the platform’s relationship with the Canary Islands government has shifted from initial skepticism to recent cooperation. However, their message remains firm: after 30 years of campaigning, they are no longer interested in political promises. They are demanding tangible results to ensure the residents of Southern Tenerife finally receive the equitable healthcare they have been waiting for.