Canary Islands Doctors' Strike: CESM Issues 7-Day Ultimatum — Walkout Looms

On April 6, the doctors' union CESM Canarias met with the director of the Servicio Canario de Salud (SCS), Adasat Goya. There was progress on two key issues: strengthening primary care (Atención Primaria) and addressing outstanding pay disputes. But for the union, it wasn't enough.

CESM set a clear ultimatum: the Consejería de Sanidad has seven days to deliver concrete answers on the remaining demands. If the response fails to materialise or proves unsatisfactory, a regional doctors' strike will be called — on top of the already scheduled national walkout.

National Strike: Fourth Round Since February

The national doctors' strike from April 27 to 30 is the fourth round of a wave of industrial action that began in February 2026. Every month, doctors across Spain have been downing tools for several days. The union SEMCA — another medical trade union active in the Canaries — has already extended the regional action to two days: April 27 and 28.

If CESM Canarias calls an additional regional strike, the Canary Islands could be hit harder than the rest of Spain in April. During the last walkout, 16,000 consultations were cancelled and 345 operations postponed (RTVC) across the islands. Emergency services remained staffed, but elective procedures and routine appointments were wiped out.

12 Regional Demands — No Response from the Minister

Canarian doctors have put forward twelve specific demands to the regional government. These include: a dedicated medical statute (Estatuto propio) for the Canaries, aligning the professional career ladder (Carrera profesional) with mainland standards, open transfer procedures (Traslado abierto) between islands, and improved on-call pay (Guardias).

Particularly contentious: Health Minister Esther Monzón has not once met with the strike committee (Canarias7). For the doctors, this signals a fundamental lack of respect. Negotiations have been conducted exclusively through the SCS director — not the politically accountable minister.

What This Means for Patients

If a double strike materialises in late April — national plus regional — patients in the Canary Islands should expect significant disruption. Elective surgeries will be postponed, specialist appointments cancelled, and GP surgeries will operate on emergency-only basis. A&E departments and emergency services will remain active, but waiting times are likely to increase sharply.

Anyone with a scheduled medical appointment in the Canaries in late April should check with their health centre beforehand to confirm whether it will go ahead. The 012 helpline (Canarian info line) and the SCS website will publish updates on cancellations.