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Residents of Orihuela Costa have been waiting for more than five years for decisive action to address their public healthcare shortage. The only existing facility in Aguamarina, which serves 30,000 registered residents all year and many more during the busy tourist season, continues to struggle under pressure while promises of a second medical centre remain unrealised.

 

This week, a glimmer of hope emerged with the publication of a new decree law in the Official Gazette of the Valencian Government. The regional Ministry of Health announced the recovery of a kind of healthcare Building Plan, designed to fast-track work on health infrastructure across the Valencian Community.

 

Under this plan, the Generalitat will fund construction while handing over execution powers to eligible municipalities that submit a request.

 

Orihuela was named as one of five municipalities that meet the necessary conditions, alongside Burriana, Santa Pola, Torrent-El Vedat and Mislata.

 

“These are five municipalities that meet a series of established criteria given the property status of the plots where construction or improvement of sanitary facilities will be carried out,” the Ministry of Health stated.

 

Shortly after the announcement, Orihuela mayor Pepe Vegara confirmed that the City Council was moving forward with plans to build a second health centre on the coast, while the long-awaited expansion of the current Aguamarina clinic also remains pending.

 

The regional decree, however, only allows for one project per municipality and a total of five operating at any given time. In addition, each proposed project must already be included in the existing infrastructure improvement plan and its funding must be accounted for in the Budget Law.

 

According to sources from the City Council, the local government is leaning toward prioritising the construction of a new facility rather than expanding the existing one. This aligns with a commitment made by regional President Carlos Mazón during his election campaign.

 

However, that promise was not included in the current budget, which instead allocates €4 million toward renovating the Aguamarina centre. Until that requirement is fulfilled, residents will have to wait.

 

A plot of land spanning 12,000 square metres in Los Altos, between calles Beduinos and J'Alhamed, has already been set aside by Orihuela City Council for the new medical centre. Yet despite strong local support for building both a second health centre and expanding the existing one, only the latter has secured a place in the Generalitat’s budget for two consecutive years.

 

Meanwhile, conditions at the Aguamarina facility continue to decline. The outside of the building shows clear signs of neglect and the facade still bears the signage of the original private concessionaire from almost two decades ago.

 

For many residents, the situation remains a symbol of inaction and broken promises in a community where basic public services continue to fall short.

 

 

Image: Redaccion Medica