The President of the Andalusian Government, Juanma Moreno, has announced the creation of 3,000 new spaces for the elderly, of which 1,500 will be for residential care and 1,500 for day centers, while also stating that there has been an agreement to increase the price per place by 4.5% for residential and day care centers for people with disabilities and the elderly, and by 3% per hour for Home Help Services.
During his speech at the General Policy Debate on Andalusia in Parliament, he mentioned that the Andalusian community is making a titanic effort to finance dependence, allocating the highest budget in history and the highest in all of Spain with over 2.331 billion euros in 2025, a figure that doubles what was allocated in the final year of the previous government.
Moreno expressed his regret that Andalusia continues to suffer from underfunding in terms of dependence by the National Government, stating that the absence of General Budgets in 2024 and 2025 has deprived around 400 million euros that are essential to reduce waiting times. «We demand to sign the same 50% co-financing agreement for Dependence that the government’s vice president has signed with the Basque Country.»
He also listed some of the actions taken for active aging, such as the 1.8 million euros allocated last year to projects to alleviate unwanted loneliness. He announced the upcoming launch of a companion portal for the elderly, their families, and professionals with all available resources for those experiencing unwanted loneliness, including the Andalusian Telephone Support for the Elderly to provide personalized attention, information, and guidance.
He highlighted the evident improvement in recent years with an additional investment of 5.410 million euros in Health, 3.347 million more for Education, and 1.130 million more for Dependence. «Today we invest 600 euros more per inhabitant in health and 1.600 euros more per student in education. There are 28,000 more healthcare professionals and 6,414 more teachers in the education system,» he added.
President Moreno emphasized that his government is working to improve things, implementing all measures within reach to solve problems. He mentioned initiatives such as the Appointment Management Plan, which has achieved a 99% resolution rate within three days, with an average response time of just one business day, and the addition of 3,072 healthcare professionals in Primary Care.
Regarding the Health Guarantee Plan, he reported a 50% reduction in the surgical waiting list for patients past the deadline, a 13% increase in surgeries, and a 38-day reduction in the average waiting time.
He emphasized the need for a Public Health Pact in Spain to address the funding issues and professional deficits faced by all autonomous communities.
He noted that after years of vacant positions, Andalusia has filled the 1,921 positions for resident internal physicians and the Andalusian Health Service will offer long-term contracts to the 1,587 resident physicians finishing their training this year. Additionally, the Medicine degree program has been introduced in universities in Almería, Jaén, Huelva, La Loyola, and CEU Fernando III, across the eight Andalusian provinces, offering nearly 1,500 places for these studies in the upcoming academic year. A summer plan with over 36,500 hirings is also in progress to ensure healthcare provision to Andalusians and many visitors during these months.
Moreno highlighted that there are currently twenty-nine more health centers and seven new hospitals, including the Muñoz Cariñanos in Seville and the Materno Infantil in Almería. The first phase of the future Ciudad Sanitaria in Jaén has commenced, the largest hospital laboratory in Andalusia has been established at the Granada Health Campus, and the bidding for the Materno Infantil in Huelva will start after the summer. Construction is ongoing for the Materno-Infantil at the Reina Sofía Hospital in Córdoba, and progress is being made on the new Hospital in Cádiz.
Intervention by the President of the Andalusian Government, Juanma Moreno.
He also announced the tender for the construction of the new Hospital in Malaga for an amount of 607 million euros, which will feature 815 rooms, 40 operating rooms, and over 150 consultations.
In the field of education, he highlighted the six-and-a-half-point reduction in early school dropout rates and the nearly 10-point increase in graduation rates for 20 to 24-year-olds, largely attributed to the consolidation of the Vocational Training system, which now offers nearly 170,000 spots.
The President of the Andalusian Government praised the work and commitment of the 107,500 structural teachers in Andalusia, emphasizing that quality education is the first step towards a better future for the new generations of Andalusians.
He also addressed culture and the Andalusian heritage as drivers of wealth, employment, and progress, mentioning initiatives such as the Flamenco Law in 2023 and the Alhambra Plan.
He announced that the long-awaited presentation of the Reales Atarazanas in Seville as a top-level cultural center will soon take place after two decades of neglect and uncertainty.
Furthermore, he affirmed that Andalusia is increasingly a benchmark for gender equality and highlighted being the first community to promote a Pact for Conciliation and Co-responsibility, with a budget of 44 million this year. This is complemented by the free provision of two-year-old early childhood education, benefiting around 67,000 families and aiding in family conciliation.
Regarding gender-based violence, he stressed the importance of maintaining a firm stance on policies against such violence and emphasized that education, social awareness, and prevention are key elements in winning this societal battle.
President Moreno emphasized the implementation of new resources to enhance support for female victims and their children, such as the eight new 24-hour comprehensive care centers for victims of sexual violence, which combine crisis support services, legal advice, legal assistance, and psychological care already provided by the Junta. He also mentioned the approval of a new right to provide 5,000 euros annually for minors orphaned due to gender-based violence.