Last Friday, in Elche, we celebrated the seventh anniversary of the Hospital Universitario del Vinalopó with the handover of the Defensores de la Salud Awards, which this year have recognised the career of some great professionals: former socialist minister Julián García Vargas (Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs between 1986 and 1991) and the editorial team of La Verdad newspaper, represented by its former delegate, Gaspar Maciá Vicente. It was a very emotional event, at which an Honorary Mention was also given to Manuela Sepulcre Cano, the 100th baby to be born in the hospital and representative of all the families that have been part of the hospital’s history since it opened in June 2010. These are the two speeches I delivered before handing over the award to Julián García Vargas and, at the end of the event, when I addressed all the professionals working within the concession model in the Valencian Community.
