Sabrido defends “public, universal, free and adequately funded” healthcare

Toledo.- The delegate of the Government of Spain in Castilla-La Mancha, José Pablo Sabrido, has defended a “public, universal, free and adequately funded” health, during the awards of the Association for Fair Access to Medicine, held in Noblejas (Toledo).

Sabrido denounced during his speech that “in a world where society demands more and better public services, there are official rapporteurs who claim that the Welfare State is unsustainable while they obtain great benefits”.

The delegate congratulated the winners for the recognition and thanked them for the work they had done to reach this point. Sabrido has been accompanied by the mayor of the town, Agustín Jiménez, among other institutions, during the celebration of the awards ceremony.

Awards of the Association for Fair Access to Medicine

The Professor of History of Science Luis Montiel Llorente, the Innovation Seminars in Primary Care (SIAP), the Association of Women with Breast Cancer (AMAMA), the CIVIO Foundation and the Organization of Consumers and Users FACUA, have been recognized by the Association for Fair Access to Medicine (AAJM) in the IV edition of its AAJM 2026 Awards.

The jury of the IV AAJM Awards, formed by the entire board of directors of the association that presides over Dr. Soledad Cabezón, has granted special recognition to the Argentine philosopher María Julia Bertomeu for her permanent collaboration with the AAJM Magazine throughout the 50 issues published and to the City of Noblejas, for her commitment to public health and her constant support for the AAJM.

The AAJM 2026 Awards, which this year celebrate its fourth edition coinciding with the ninth anniversary of the association, recognize the work of professionals, institutions, organizations and the media that have stood out for their work in defense of universal health care, fair access to medicines and vaccines for everyone and in denouncing the abusive use of intellectual property laws that prevent access to necessary medicines.

The winners in the different categories are:

1) Outstanding personality in the political/health field

Retired Professor of History of Science at the Faculty of Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid and promoter of the Chair of access to medicines together with Farmamundi.

This award is a recognition of his work in teaching about access to medicines as an essential part of guaranteeing the right to health as a fundamental human right, also sensitizing professionals and society as a whole with numerous articles on this subject.

2) Better work of a scientific-sanitary institution

Since its creation in 2005, the SIAPs aim to contribute to improving the work related to health and especially Primary Care. This award recognizes their work throughout multi-professional meetings that have shown that they can be done without funding from the pharmaceutical, technological, food or any other industries, offering a “smoke-free” training space.

These seminars were founded by Juan Gervas, Doctor of Medicine, Retired General Practitioner, former Professor of Public Health, and Mercedes Pérez-Fernández, Specialist in Internal Medicine. Retired General Practitioner, on whom the prize will be awarded.

3) Better work of a Patients' Association

Created 30 years ago to give voice to the demands of breast cancer patients, currently AMAMA has 4,000 associates throughout Andalusia (700 in Seville) who work to achieve the necessary improvements for the enjoyment of a full life among those affected.

With this award, the AAJM wants to recognize its work to help and support women with breast cancer in all aspects that affect their lives; its defense in improving the public health system, as well as the need to increase public research. With his actions, he has managed to put at the forefront of the public debate the failures and delays in the system of early detection of breast cancer of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS).

4) Better information and outreach work

The CIVIO Foundation, an independent, non-profit organization, created in 2012, is an example of investigative, uninfluenced, vigilant and accurate journalism, working to make institutions transparent and accountable so that citizens have the best information.

This award is a recognition of his work in defense so that the prices of new drugs are not secret, especially in CART-T therapies and other drugs, despite the opacity and secrecy of the Ministry of Health.

5) Best Work of an Organization

The Consumers and Users Organization FACUA, dedicated since its creation in 1981 to the defense of consumer rights, works in this independent cause of governments, political parties and business interests.

This award is a recognition of his position in clear and forceful defence of public health. They believe that health financing must be based on solidarity and progressivity and that it can guarantee health, but also reduce inequalities. It is also worth mentioning its help to users of the public system, who have experienced violations of their rights in the health system, to file claims, as well as its defense for a transparent market, including that of pharmaceutical provision, so that access to medicines is not affected by excessive prices protected by opacity.

Special recognition

The jury of the IV AAJM Awards has awarded two special recognitions:

The jury has considered granting special recognition to the Argentine philosopher María Julia Bartomeu for her permanent collaboration with the AAJM Magazine throughout the 50 issues published, a digital publication that began in 2021 with the clear objective of defending public health and justice and equity in access to medicines. Research, reports and national and international forums have made it a reference in the defense of transparency and in the denunciation of the abusive prices of medicines.

María Julia Bertomeu, a member of the AAJM and member of the editorial committee of this publication, has collaborated throughout these 50 issues with numerous articles and editorials related to ethics and public health and their practical application to achieve equity and guarantee access for all citizens to the necessary medicines.

Tenured Professor of Ethics at the Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences of the National University of La Plata, she has been Principal Researcher at the National Council of Scientific Research at the Institute of Philosophy Alejandro Korn and member of the research project of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

City Council of Noblejas

The jury of the AAJM 2026 Awards has considered granting special recognition to the City of Noblejas for its tireless and constant support to all initiatives aimed at strengthening and improving the National Health System, so that it is an example of quality care and respect for the dignity of all people.

The entire municipal corporation and especially its mayor, Agustín Jiménez Crespo, has always shown its support and encouragement for initiatives of the citizens that mean an improvement for health care in appropriate times, with sufficient professionals, as well as the right to receive the treatments that are needed. And, in this case, the action of the AAJM is reflected, to which the City of Noblejas has always lent its support.