The city of Ontinyent is advancing in the improvement of its health services thanks to the coordination between the City Council, the Generalitat Valenciana, and the Provincial Council of Valencia. The mayor, Jorge Rodríguez, and the first vice-president of the Provincial Council, Natàlia Enguix, met with the President of the Generalitat, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, to discuss key projects for the city.
A central point of the meeting was the transformation of Ontinyent's old hospital into a Hospital for Chronic and Long-Term Patients (HACLE). This initiative will expand the health offerings for the city and the region, maintaining existing care activities while progressively adapting the facilities to their new function. The mayor highlighted the importance of ensuring service continuity during the conversion process, stating, "We have managed to ensure the old hospital does not close at any time, that it continues to provide service, and that, moreover, it has a future with a very important new function for Ontinyent and the region."
The project includes the drafting of a plan to improve and adapt the infrastructure, aiming for a staff of approximately 40 professionals. Additionally, the implementation of a dialysis service, pending publication by the Ministry of Health, and the new Breast Cancer Prevention Unit were discussed. The latter will be located on the ground floor of the old hospital with a separate entrance and is expected to be operational by late 2026 or early 2027.
The meeting also served to follow up on other significant projects, such as the new Palace of Justice, whose works are progressing with an autonomous investment exceeding 9 million euros. The transformation of La Cantereria was also addressed, with a 450,000 euro contribution from the Generalitat to acquire and demolish dilapidated housing. Furthermore, the duplication of the Ronda Sud (CV-81) is being processed to widen a 3.7-kilometer stretch.
Jorge Rodríguez and Natàlia Enguix emphasized the institutional work and coordination between administrations to realize projects that have been long-standing demands. Enguix highlighted the Provincial Council's involvement, which has provided over 20 million euros in subsidies for the city. Rodríguez thanked the President of the Generalitat for his continued attention to Ontinyent, noting that this collaboration demonstrates that "beyond political differences, through dialogue, work, and the ability to reach agreements, we have been able and are able to make significant progress for the benefit of Ontinyent."
