El Cotillo Finally Opens New Medical Clinic
The new local health centre in El Cotillo will begin operating tomorrow, Tuesday 12 August, thanks to a joint effort by the La Oliva Town Council and the Canary Islands Health Service (SCS).
Opening of the provisional clinic
The launch responds to a long‑standing demand from residents of El Cotillo and El Roque, bringing primary‑care services closer to the northern part of Fuerteventura and easing pressure on the Corralejo Health Centre as well as the La Oliva and Lajares clinics.
The provisional facility is housed in a municipal premises donated by the council (Avenida de Los Lagos 23). It occupies 160 m² and includes:
- A medical consultation room
- A nursing consultation room
- An administrative area
- A treatment room
- A storage area
The initial staff consists of one family doctor, one nurse and one administrative assistant.
The centre will serve the population of El Cotillo and El Roque—approximately 1,200 health‑card holders—within the La Oliva Basic Health Zone, which covers a total of 25,986 cards. This arrangement guarantees more immediate and efficient care while the urban‑planning process for a permanent site and building continues.
The project is part of the island‑wide strategy to decentralise health points in response to Fuerteventura’s growing population, made possible by inter‑administrative coordination between the La Oliva Town Council and the Directorate of the Fuerteventura Health Area.
A historic demand for El Cotillo and El Roque
“The new resource will provide health assistance to the assigned population while the procedures for the future building are completed,” said Adasat Goya, director of the SCS, adding that “having a dedicated clinic in El Cotillo was a historic demand.”
“We are marking a before and after in the health service of the island’s north, offering primary care close to El Cotillo and El Roque and relieving Corralejo,” emphasized Isaí Blanco, mayor of La Oliva.
“With population growth, it is essential to bring health services to every part of the island; this clinic meets basic needs in the north and paves the way toward a permanent centre,” noted Lola García, president of the Cabildo.