Villena SAMU ambulances operate without doctors as woman dies in Beneixama

On July 19, a Villena‑based SAMU unit staffed only by a nurse and two technicians, without a physician, responded to an emergency in Beneixama, Alicante province. The woman in her thirties suffered a cardiac arrest and died despite the crew’s care.

Later the same day the unit was sent to Sax, where a family clash left a 50‑year‑old man with multiple stab wounds; he was transported to Hospital de Elda, also without a doctor on board.

Mayor Fulgencio Cerdán announced parliamentary initiatives to reinforce the emergency medical system, demanded explanations from the regional health ministry, and highlighted that SAMU ambulances often lack doctors on weekends, especially in summer. The regional health council opened an investigative file and pledged corrective measures. Similar incidents have been reported in other towns such as Dénia and Sant Joan.