The television in public hospitals has become the reason for a new citizen demand against the Community of Madrid. Citizen Lola Martín presented this Friday to the Ministry of Health 27,000 signatures to demand that Isabel Díaz Ayuso's Administration allow patients free access to television service during their hospital stay. A measure that she wishes to be applied before the end of the year.
The initiative began after a situation that Martín's father had to endure. At 86 years old and after several months hospitalized, he could not enjoy a World Cup match because the machine enabled to pay for the television service was not available. "At that moment I became aware of the lack of empathy and respect for the patient that charging them for television entails," her daughter assures in statements to 'ElConstitucional.es'.
Since that "unpleasant" experience, Lola Martín was clear that she was going to stand up to Isabel Díaz Ayuso's Government and demand free television service. She considers that "it is not fair" or "equitable" that treatment towards patients who can spend days, weeks or months hospitalized, which entails a high cost: "It's about ten euros a day, imagine the cost for being there for months".
At the doors of the Ministry of Health, the promoter of the campaign has highlighted the importance of Ayuso's Government "guaranteeing a good" and "welcoming" stay for its patients. For them, she maintains, television can be more than a form of entertainment: "It is a window to the outside, to be connected when inside hospitals every day is the same. And there is a lot of loneliness, many elderly people…".
Inside the Ministry, Lola Martín has been received by the general director of Humanization, Attention and Patient Safety, Celia Gracia. Upon leaving, she explained details of her meeting: "They say they have it in mind, that they have been working on it for some time." However, she assures that "there is no date or commitment".
After the meeting, she invites Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the Minister of Health and all politicians to "empathize, to leave their position for a few minutes and listen to hospitalized citizens." "People's misfortunes cannot be something lucrative," she maintains.
Catalonia also demands free television in hospitals
The claim is not limited to the Community of Madrid. In Barcelona, Rosita Rochina has joined the claim and, at 95 years old, she has already collected more than 63,000 signatures. Under the campaign 'TV Is Not A Luxury', she demands free television in all hospitals in Spain.
"When you are hospitalized, watching TV or simply listening to it distracts you a lot and keeps you company," she explains. The problem, once again, is the amount that has to be paid for a service that the promoters consider should be free and the inability of many people to afford it: "It seems like little money, but there are people who cannot afford it."
Like Lola Martín, she points out the importance of television: "I have had roommates who wanted to have the TV on day and night because simply a background voice gave them peace of mind."