Andalusia faces pediatrician shortage as half a million children lack primary care

Since the 2024 Andalusian elections, the regional government led by President Juanma Moreno Bonilla has been criticised for a lack of transparency on health‑service waiting lists, with the latest data showing roughly 100,000 patients still pending specialist appointments in Almería.

A separate investigation reveals that about 500,000 children across Andalusia have no assigned pediatrician. The highest gaps are in Huelva (88% of minors without a pediatrician), Almería (67%), Cádiz (59%), Jaén (over 50%), Córdoba (41%) and Sevilla (more than 75,000 children). The shortage is linked to poor working conditions, low pay and the use of temporary contracts that have left many resident positions unfilled. Critics say the administration’s focus on political negotiations with Vox distracts from the systemic failures in the Andalusian Health Service (SAS).