Exterior of Axarquía Regional Hospital in Velez-MalagaCredit: G.J. van Beers, via Google Photos
Starting Tuesday, March 4, patients at Axarquia Regional Hospital in Velez-Malaga will have access to free television, ending the long-standing requirement to pay for the service. The decision, confirmed by the Eastern Malaga Health Management Area on its social media, responds to repeated requests from patients and their families.
The initiative is part of a promise made by Andalusian President Juanma Moreno in June 2022. He commited to eliminate television fees in public hospitals across the whole region. The transition has been implemented gradually as existing contracts with service providers expire. In Malaga, the Regional Hospital and Clínico Hospital have already introduced free TV. The change took effect between late 2023 and early 2024.
Meanwhile, the rollout of free Wi-Fi in Andalusia’s public hospitals remains incomplete. That’s despite being an important part of the regional government’s digital strategy announced in November 2021. In fact, progress has been slower than anticipated, according to the Spanish press..
The move toward free television in hospitals actually dates back to 2018, when the previous Andalusian government initiated the policy in around 20 hospitals across the region, but none of them in Malaga province. However, the plan stalled following the 2019 regional government change. Now, after years of delays, Malaga’s hospitals are finally seeing the initiative become a reality.
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