The Integral Local Health Plan of the Girona City Council for the next four years has prioritized the fight against emotional distress and addictions. This document, resulting from an exhaustive diagnosis using health data and citizen surveys, defines four main pillars: emotional well-being and mental health, affective-sexual and reproductive health, substance use and addictions, and community health. The Councilor for Health and Emotional Well-being, Sílvia Bosch, highlighted the need to design specific actions for each neighborhood, as significant differences in population needs have been detected.
Developed over nearly a year, the plan is based on data from the Department of Health, the city's basic health areas, a citizen health habits survey (with 131 responses), and interviews with professionals. Bosch emphasized that the document is a "real tool" and a "roadmap" for municipal policies, based on an "honest diagnosis" and "street reality".
The four strategic lines include a reinforced focus on addictions and mental health, considered "worrying" by health indicators. Bosch described emotional distress as a "silent emergency," noting that anxiety, depression, and loneliness exceed the public system's capacity, and advocated for the key role of municipalities in health promotion to prevent these cases.
The diagnosis also reveals health inequalities within the city itself, linked to the neighborhood of residence. Therefore, the council will adapt interventions to the needs of each basic health area, although emotional distress is a transversal concern.
The plan foresees health promotion programs in coordination with educational centers, emotional support teams, and municipal services. Interventions in addictions will be based on data from health professionals and the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police). Initiatives such as campaigns to reduce alcohol consumption at the Girona Fairs or the 'Nits de Qualitat' program for young people are already being implemented.
The deputy mayor, Xavier Aldeguer, argued that municipalities can influence health factors beyond healthcare, such as promoting healthy habits, community health, mobility, or the environmental setting, as the "postal code" carries significant weight in health indicators.
Bosch concluded that the plan is "dynamic" and will be periodically evaluated, reaffirming that the health of the people living in Girona must be a "real priority".
