Hundreds protest in Tarragona demanding 24/7 stroke care

Citizens and local leaders claim the Joan XXIII Hospital must provide emergency thrombectomy services around the clock.

Generic image of a citizen protest with banners in an outdoor space near the sea.
IA

Generic image of a citizen protest with banners in an outdoor space near the sea.

Around 500 people gathered this Sunday, March 1st, at the Balcó del Mediterrani in Tarragona to demand that Joan XXIII Hospital provides 24-hour emergency care for stroke patients.

The protest follows a recent announcement by the Health Department to extend thrombectomy services to weekends, but only from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Local platforms and the Federation of Neighborhood Associations (FAVT) labeled this 12-hour window as insufficient, noting that 'strokes do not have a schedule.'

"In a stroke, every minute counts. Having a unit that only works from eight to eight does not help recovery."

Marisa Cañón · Member of the Platform for Public Health
Political representatives from several parties joined the demonstration, criticizing the Catalan Government for what they describe as a regional inequality compared to Barcelona and Girona, where full coverage is already established.