Tenerife South Hospital Oncology Services Face Administrative Transition Amid Expansion Push
Tenerife’s El Mojón hospital is undergoing an administrative transition to decentralize oncology services, though local advocates continue to push for a 40-million-euro expansion to address overcrowding and improve regional care.
Oncology services in the south of Tenerife are currently in a period of administrative transition, according to the Ministry of Health. This update, shared with the Platform for the Public Hospital of the South and Southwest, marks a step toward decentralizing specialized care—a move long demanded by local groups calling for a clear plan to expand the El Mojón hospital in Arona.
Since opening in the summer of 2024, the center has already made a significant impact. By managing oncological emergencies on-site, the facility has reduced referrals and unscheduled visits to the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital by 20% in its first year. The current 600-square-meter unit, which includes fourteen chairs, two beds, and dedicated pharmacy and oncology areas, is designed to handle over 5,000 intravenous treatments each year, saving many patients from having to travel to the metropolitan area.
However, the hospital’s long-term success depends on a much larger expansion. While the regional government announced a tender for the first of four project phases in March—with a budget of over one million euros—the Platform remains cautious about potential delays. This initial stage is vital for completing the necessary structural work to eventually house new care units. The total project is expected to cost over 40 million euros, an investment that local groups argue is essential to relieve overcrowding. Currently, the hospital’s 150 beds are under pressure from socio-health patients transferred from other parts of the island.
The Platform, following recent discussions with the Carrera por la Vida Foundation, hopes that the construction contracts will be finalized before the end of the current legislative term. At the same time, the group continues to push the Island Council (Cabildo) to build a large socio-health center on the site of the old El Mojón barracks. They believe this facility is key to freeing up hospital space and improving overall patient care in the region.