Sick Migrants on the Streets in Ceuta as Hospital Beds Stay Empty
A health crisis in the Spanish city of Ceuta has shown two very different sides, according to a recent report. Some sick migrants are staying in the street, while hospital beds in the city remain empty.
Ceuta, a Spanish territory in North Africa, has been dealing with the arrival of many migrants. The situation has created problems for local health services.
José Luis Vidal, a local official in Ceuta, criticized Spain's health minister after her visit to the city. He said she should focus less on giving lessons and more on actual management of the crisis.
His comment suggests that he believes the central Government has not solved the practical problems on the ground, even though officials have spoken about the situation publicly.
For its part, the Spanish Government has denied that there is a health collapse in Ceuta. Officials say the hospital system is not overwhelmed.
However, the Government has also asked for more spaces in Ceuta to help treat migrants who need medical care. This request suggests that current facilities may not be enough to properly manage the situation.
The apparent contradiction — sick people in the street alongside empty beds — has raised questions about how care is being organized in Ceuta.
Local authorities and the central Government appear to disagree on both the size of the problem and who is responsible for fixing it. The disagreement adds another layer to Spain's wider debate over migration and public services in border areas like Ceuta.
Vocabulary7 words
- migrant
- a person who moves to live in another country
- official
- a person with a job in government or public service
- management
- the act of organizing and controlling something
- collapse
- a sudden failure of a system
- space
- an empty place where something can be put
- facility
- a place or building used for a special purpose, like a hospital
- authority
- a person or group with power to make decisions
Quiz
Answer key
1. Sick migrants in the street while hospital beds are empty 2. Giving lessons instead of managing the crisis 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A health crisis in the Spanish city of Ceuta has shown two very different sides, according to a recent report. Some sick _____ are staying in the street, while hospital beds in the city remain empty.
Ceuta, a Spanish territory in North Africa, has been dealing with the arrival of many migrants. The situation has created problems for local health services.
José Luis Vidal, a local _____ in Ceuta, criticized Spain's health minister after her visit to the city.
He said she should focus less on giving lessons and more on actual _____ of the crisis.
For its part, the Spanish Government has denied that there is a health _____ in Ceuta.
However, the Government has also asked for more _____ in Ceuta to help treat migrants who need medical care.
This request suggests that current _____ may not be enough to properly manage the situation.
Local _____ and the central Government appear to disagree on both the size of the problem and who is responsible for fixing it.