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Vaccination drive
THE Balearic Islands Health department has invested €3.2 million in the purchase of 20,000 Meningococcal B vaccines for this year and next.
Nearly 10,000 babies will be eligible for the jab each year, with doses given at two, four and 12 months old.
The vaccine, which will begin to be administered in May, was included by the
Doctors and nurses
THE public health service in the Balearic Islands has been described as ‘deficient’.
Spanish authorities on the public vaccination calendar for all children in November 2022.
Until then it was only offered to those within certain highrisk categories, meaning families who did not qualify had to pay more than €300 for the three jabs.
Meningococcal B disease is a lowfrequency but very serious infection that can lead to meningitis or bloodstream infection, both of which can be deadly or leave serious aftereffects.
In a related development this week, the Balearic Public Health Agency took part in World Immunization Week, a yearly event organised by the World Health Organisation.
Stand up and be counted
SPAIN’S local and regional elections take place on May 28.
In the Balearics, current surveys point to a very open result, with the incumbent Francina Armengol (PSOE) hoping to renew her term for another four years at the head of the Govern in coalition with Unidas Podemos and Més per Mallorca, with the help of three other smaller forces.
Biting at her heels is the Partido Popular (PP), who would require at least the support of farright Vox and probably also of several regional parties to claim the autonomic presidency.
The governing leftwing coalition is currently ahead in the polls by just one seat, so May 28 looks to be a nailbiting time for all those involved.
According to the latest study by the Federation of Associations for the Defence of Public Healthcare (FADSP), the Balearics are in 10th place on the list of 17 Spanish regions with regards to the overall quality of the health service.
The Balearic Islands received a total score of 81 points, lower than the national average of 84 and a long way from the region with the highest score, namely Navarra with 108 points.
On the positive side, the Balearics have climbed one place with regards to last year’s study. However, the research shows that the islands’ Primary Care services have the worst ratio of GPs per 1,000 inhabitants in the country (0.46) and the second worst ratio of nurses at local health centres (0.54). In both categories its closest rival is Madrid, who have the worst ratio of nurses per 1,000 inhabitants and the second worst ratio of GPs.
The figures improve drastically regarding specialised nursing and hospital care, coming in fifth and ninth place respectively for the number of professionals per inhabitant.
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