by The Health Minister, Manel Balcells, has defended today that the health budget for this year, agreed between the ERC Government and the PSC, it is “the greatest in history.” However, the general budgets for 2024 of the Catalan Executive do not yet have the support of the Communes, so they may not go ahead.
The Government and the Socialists have agreed, as Balcells explained this Friday in the Parliament’s health commission, a budget of 12,132.3 million of euros for the Department of Health, which represents an increase, compared to last year, of 424.1 million (3.6% more).
“This year’s Catalan budgets are, in general, good. It will be achieved reverse all cuts in public services”, defended Balcells, who nevertheless specified that This “growth” will not be maintained in the future “if the fiscal deficit suffered by the Generalitat is not reversed.”
More budget per capita
According to the counselor, the public health budget per capita presents a sustained increase since 2013 and, specifically, this 2024 increase is increased by 34 euros per person compared to 2023. “These budgets are not continuators, but rather they reaffirm the policies of change and consolidation of the Catalan health system,” explained the minister.
Specifically, this budget places emphasis on the primary care. A total of 3,587.8 million euros, 5% more than the previous year. “some 110 million will go to improve accessibility and our goal is that no one has a delay of more than 48 hours,” explained Balcells.
Furthermore, regarding the health infrastructure, 76.31 million will go to completed actions, 272.35 million will go to new actions or others that are in progress.
