On 29 October, heavy rains in Valencia, eastern Spain, led to widespread flooding, causing extensive damage to the region’s infrastructure and loss of life.
Diaverum, which operates 49 clinics in Spain, has 20 in the region (13 of them in Valencia), where 330 professionals care for more than 1,700 patients. We have been profoundly saddened by the losses suffered by the region and community that we are part of, & have been working closely with all stakeholders to provide the utmost support possible during this time.
In the aftermath of this tragic event, our priority has been to ensure continuity of care for our patients, for whom dialysis is essential and life-sustaining, as well as the well-being of our people who treat for them. Although two of our clinics have sustained significant damages, the quick actions of our Valencia teams, with the continual support of our Diaverum Spain management team, enabled those patients directly affected to be reallocated to other Diaverum centres in the region. A small minority of patients have been dialysed in referral hospitals. Additionally, we have been working closely with patients and their families to offer practical assistance to those impacted by material losses, working in close and constant coordination with the referral hospitals and the healthcare authorities.
There is much work to be done in the weeks and months ahead, both to assess the full impact of the flood on our clinics and patients, as well as to understand its implications for the future. This goes beyond Valencia – as many of you will have seen, further heavy rainfall was experienced over the past 24 hours in the Málaga region, where we also have a number of clinics. While quick actions have helped prevent damage in this instance, the prevalence of extreme weather attributed to climate change is a growing concern. Strengthening our contingency plans to address these risks is more pressing than ever before.
Much of what we’ve been able to achieve in these early stages has been due to the close collaboration between our teams and healthcare authorities, local partners, and suppliers. Their dedication and steadfast support have been instrumental in ensuring that our clinics have remained operational and that patients have been able to travel for dialysis.
At the heart of all this work are the Diaverum Spain management team and our people in Valencia who, despite facing unimaginable losses themselves, have continued to prioritise patient care. You are the embodiment of Diaverum’s True Care, and we cannot be more proud or thankful for your service.