THE emergency department at Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital in Malaga is at breaking point, staff warn, as patients endure overcrowding and waits of up to 65 hours for a bed.
According to staff, patients are being treated in hallways, often left on stretchers or chairs, while they wait to be admitted to a ward, due to a lack of space.
In some cases, patients have waited over 65 hours for admission.
Staff say 27 patients are currently waiting for beds, underscoring systemic delays.
Among those waiting for treatment are patients with serious conditions such as brain
haemorrhages, heart failure and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
There have also been particularly critical cases, including cancer patients in palliative care and patients with infectious sepsis who remain in hallways for more than 24 hours, exposing them to extreme risks.
Healthcare professionals also denounce the inefficient hospital management.
They point to a ward with five beds and six chairs that, instead of easing pressure on services, is only partially used during the morning shift and remains closed for the rest of the day due to staff shortages.
This lack of personnel, they warn, is driving healthcare workers to leave for other regions in search of better job security.
After months of raising concerns, the Staff Committee says Malaga is facing a serious structural problem in its public healthcare system, blaming poor management by hospital leadership.
They also criticise the Andalucian Health Service which they say has made major decisions without consulting staff.
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