Treviño girl’s death to be investigated

The Basque health authorities are trying to clarify the circumstances which lead to the death of a three-year-old girl who was ill with chicken pox.

Neighbours in the village of La Puebla de Arganzon are concerned over the case of Anne Ganuza, 3, who died of chicken pox due to not reaching a hospital in good time.

Her home is only 17.5 kilometres from Vitoria, yet her family were told that they had to call Burgos for assistance; Burgos is 100 kilometres from the village.

Two investigations, one medical and one judicial, have been opened to find out what went wrong.

This case has reopened the debate about health authorities’ cooperation in the areas which are on the edge of catchment limits.

The mayor of La Puebla de Arganzon has questioned the protocols employed by the health authorities of Euskadi and Castilla y Leon pointing out that they are deficient.

Villagers have commented that this has never happened before and that, in the past, if they called an ambulance it would always take them to Vitoria.