The Espriu Foundation contributes to universal access to health, as demanded by the WHO

Taking into account that the ageing society in Spain and illnesses becoming chronic will increase public spending, health co-operatives are a tool to collaborate with the National Health System by freeing up resources and achieving sustainability.

Along these lines, Espriu Foundation managing director, Carlos Zarco, said that, “co-operatives are an economically viable business model, which competes on the market just like or better than other types of companies. They are socially responsible as they have a long-term perspective that favours social and economic sustainability”.

He also noted that, “for decades, co-operatives have proven their capacity to overcome market and State failures, adapting to different social and economic circumstances”, and he highlighted the capacity co-operatives have to respond to new needs in society and to attract resources that would otherwise not be allocated to health and welfare.

Finally, he raised the point that, in the current scenario of crisis in health systems, co-operatives are a model that is expanding worldwide. “Their capacity to adapt and innovate have made them a solution to ensure quality healthcare coverage available to all social sectors, including the most disadvantaged”, concluded Mr Zarco.