A new phase is unfolding in Seville in the fight against the consequences of a failure in the early cancer detection system. After a major scandal involving delays in diagnosing breast cancer, regional authorities have decided to focus on the Muñiz Caríñanos Hospital. This medical facility will now become a key hub in the updated strategy to improve breast and colorectal cancer screening.
Previously, the hospital, located in the southern part of the city, remained in the shadows for a long time despite large-scale renovations and attempts to integrate it into the region’s largest medical complex. After standing idle for more than a decade, the building was brought back to life during the pandemic but never became an independent center. Now, according to officials’ plans, a special unit will be set up here to strengthen early diagnosis programs.
New specialists—doctors, nurses, and technicians—will soon be joining the hospital to work with state-of-the-art equipment. Special attention will be given to women whose mammography results were inconclusive due to protocol failures. According to estimates, this concerns around two thousand patients, most of whom are under the care of the region’s main hospital system.
Alongside personnel changes, authorities plan to implement artificial intelligence, already tested in Córdoba, to improve diagnostic speed and accuracy. A special commission will also be established to analyze the causes of past mistakes and oversee the implementation of new measures. Officials do not rule out further dismissals among the leadership if it turns out the failures were due to management errors.
The scandal, which began with complaints from patients and was backed by public organizations, quickly escalated into major protests. Thousands took to the streets demanding change and accountability from officials. In the Andalusian parliament, debate over the situation became one of the most heated in recent years, with the opposition actively using the crisis to pressure the regional government.
Antonio Sanz is currently serving as acting health minister, but a new minister is expected to be appointed in the coming weeks. Authorities promise that changes will not be limited to staffing decisions—a comprehensive reform of the entire screening system is planned to prevent similar failures in the future.
