Thousands of people, as many as can fit in the space occupied by the façade of the Seville cathedral that overlooks Avenida de la Constitución and the width of that road, have gathered on Wednesday afternoon to protest against, which affects at least 2,000 women. The indignation of the attendees – many oncology patients or relatives of people with tumors, but also victims of long waiting lists and healthy young and old people – has been channeled first by clamoring for the defense of public health, between clapping, and has ended by calling for the resignation of the president of the Board himself, a cry that had not been heard in any of the massive demonstrations called in these last four years by Marea Blanca, or in any other protest march until today.
“We are very satisfied with the support we have received, but very sad about the reason,” explained Juani Fernández, member of the board of directors of the Association of Women Victims of Breast Cancer of Andalusia (Amama), the main promoter of the complaints, an oncology patient but, above all, “a fighter.” The indifference and detachment with which the Board approached their cause when the first cases occurred has not only irritated them. This indignation is what has moved many of the attendees to go to a call organized practically in two days by women’s associations to show their rejection of the attitude of the Executive and their solidarity with the affected women.
“I was clear that I had to be here,” said Rocío. “Out of necessity, because today it’s them, but tomorrow it could be anyone’s turn. Who is safe from this roulette?” he said, while around him people chanted: “It’s not a mistake, it’s bad management.”
At his side, and covered with a mask, María del Carmen Murillo remained quieter, but just as firm in her determination to be present in this act of protest. “I come to support these women who are suffering unnecessary uncertainty, but also because healthcare is being abandoned,” she explains. She has lived on both shores: she has been a healthcare worker and now she is a patient because she suffers from colon cancer. María del Carmen came accompanied by Dolores Gómez. She is hurt by the lack of empathy that the Government has shown to women with breast cancer, but also by the lack of attention to public health: “My daughter is 39 years old and has to use crutches because she has been waiting for two years to have hernia surgery,” she lamented.
The screams continued and the request for the councilor’s resignation was joined by a new unprecedented cry in this legislature: the resignation of Moreno. Until now, the president had managed to overcome and emerge unscathed from the problems that had plagued his placid absolute majority. Not even with the crisis generated by the controversial law to expand irrigation in Doñana, had its image suffered so much wear and tear.
Although there were also representatives of the left-wing opposition parties and union leaders at the rally, the slogans that were raised were spontaneous and sounded with an unusual sincerity in this type of demonstrations. That’s also what Marta’s voice sounded like, a shop assistant and daughter of a breast cancer survivor. “I feel very proud to be here and see this response,” she said, with an emotion that was shared by most of the attendees, surprised but, like Marta, proud to have come together to support women who should never have suffered the unrest that has assailed them in recent days.
“I am a human being, that is why I am here,” said Pedro Villegas, a retired doctor, who warned: “We cannot play with healthcare.” He is one of those who was able to enjoy the best moment of Andalusian healthcare, but also began to experience deterioration with the PSOE. “We have come this far, where with these gentlemen they either let us die of breast cancer or alone in a nursing home,” he added.
An hour later, the protesters were leaving. The clamor of their screams was somewhat muted by the unexpected announcement by the president of the Board of the resignation of the Minister of Health, but it did not manage to silence the echo of the strength of so many voices demanding changes in a management that failed to meet the needs of its citizens.
