Death of Inmate in Gran Canaria Prison Reveals Critical Doctor Shortage. A 29-year-old inmate died in Las Palmas II prison after complaining of pain and receiving no medical attention. The incident has exposed serious problems with healthcare provision in Spanish penitentiary institutions.
In September last year, 29-year-old inmate Deriman Aleman died at the Las Palmas II prison on Gran Canaria. The young man had repeatedly complained of chest, back, and abdominal pain, but according to his sister, did not receive timely medical attention. In critical condition, he was taken out of the facility not by ambulance but in a Civil Guard van, where he died en route to the hospital.
The deceased's family is demanding an investigation into the circumstances of his death, pointing to systemic problems with medical care in Spanish prisons. Preliminary forensic reports state that the cause of death was acute pulmonary edema, but the final conclusion has yet to be published. Case files reveal inconsistencies: some documents include records made after the inmate's death, there are discrepancies in test results, and one drug was registered twice.
The question of why such a seriously ill patient was not sent to the hospital by ambulance remains unanswered. Prison officials claim the inmate could move independently and showed no signs of severe illness. However, video footage shows other inmates carrying him out of his cell and then transporting him in a wheelchair.
The shortage of doctors in penitentiary institutions in the Canary Islands is particularly acute. According to the CC OO Prisiones union, around 75% of medical positions in the region's prisons are unfilled. In Las Palmas II, there is only one doctor for every thousand inmates, and he works remotely. The situation is further complicated by the fact that many prisoners suffer from mental disorders or addictions, increasing the risk of emergencies.
The case of Deriman Aleman is not unique. In December, another inmate died at Tenerife II prison after complaining of pain for several days. In November, a 41-year-old man died in the same Las Palmas II facility, also without receiving help. Union representatives note that the chronic shortage of medical staff puts additional pressure on personnel and violates inmates’ rights to medical care.
The problem is related to the fact that most Spanish autonomous communities have yet to assume responsibility for prison healthcare, as required by law since 2003. The exceptions are Catalonia, Navarre, and the Basque Country. In the rest of the regions, working conditions for prison doctors are significantly worse than in the regional healthcare systems, leading to mass departures of specialists and unfilled vacancies.
The authorities are trying to offset the staffing shortage with temporary contracts, telemedicine, and remote duty shifts, but these measures do not solve the problem. According to unions, the only solution is to integrate prison healthcare into regional health systems and to create a separate professional path for doctors working in penitentiary institutions.
Relatives of prisoners complain about the lack of information and the impossibility of obtaining details about their loved ones' condition. They say that their inquiries go unanswered, and deaths are reported formally and without explanations. The issue of the quality of medical care in Spanish prisons remains unresolved, despite legal requirements and numerous appeals from human rights activists.
Problems accessing medical care in Spanish prisons are not limited to the Canary Islands. Other regions also report cases of inmate deaths due to a shortage of doctors and overworked staff. For comparison, in the Basque Country, where prison healthcare management has been transferred to the local administration, medical school graduates achieve better exam results and are more likely to choose work in the healthcare system, as noted in the article on the record achievements of a graduate from Bilbao. This underscores the importance of integrating prison healthcare into regional structures to improve the quality of care.
For reference: as of 2026, Spain remains one of the few EU countries where medical care in prisons is not fully integrated into regional healthcare systems. The issue of prison healthcare reform is regularly raised at the government level, but significant changes have yet to occur.
