Malaga hospital detects 503 cases of child abandonment and abuse in 2025

Malaga's Hospital Regional, in the presentation of its annual report, said that the social and healthcare services had detected a total of 503 cases of child abandonment and abuse in 2025.

Managing director José Antonio Ortega said that the hospital had carried out 14,005 social interventions, treated 176 women victims of gender-based violence, provided social assistance to 362 homeless people, treated 36 elderly victims of abuse and identified and collaborated in the search for 43 relatives.

The hospital also studied 527 palliative and end-of-life requests, assisting five people who had decided to end their lives, compared to two in 2024 and five in 2026 so far. This predicts a gradually rising number this year.

Deputy director of nursing Noelia Maldonado said that 1,163 people had received palliative care in their homes through 2,082 visits and 7,253 telephone calls. Regarding paediatric palliative care, the hospital assisted 182 patients through 1,811 visits and 928 telephone calls.

José Antonio Ortega said that "this report reflects the work, dedication and innovative capacity of thousands of professionals who make it possible for Hospital Regional to continue advancing as a leading healthcare, research and teaching centre".

The hospital performed 28,189 major outpatient surgeries, 8,139 minor surgeries, 263 robotic interventions, 8,384 emergency surgeries and attended almost 3,500 births in 2025.

The emergency department staff attended to 335,929 people, 20,904 of whom required hospitalisation, in addition to the non-emergency 32,198 hospitalisations, with an average stay of 7.07 days.

In 2025, the hospital performed 196 kidney transplants, 64 liver transplants, 70 cornea transplants. There were 965,029 outpatient visits.

Ortega said that Hospital Regional is among the top 15 public hospitals in the country. The hospital has invested nearly 8.6 million euros in technological innovation and healthcare infrastructure, including projects such as the first hybrid neurosurgical operating room in the Andalusian public healthcare system with intraoperative MRI, the implementation of non-fluoroscopic navigation systems for the treatment of arrhythmias, the first percutaneous tricuspid valve implantation and innovative personalised medicine strategies.

Ortega also said that "sharing these results with department heads and middle management is essential to consolidate a common vision for the hospital and to continue making coordinated progress on the centre's major strategic projects".

In the area of infrastructure and healthcare organisation, the managers referred to projects such as the remodelling of Hospital Pascual and the development of a multidisciplinary area for rare diseases with funding of 1.2 million euros.

The report also highlights the growth in research and clinical trials. The inauguration of the clinical trials and research units at Hospital El Clínico has allowed for a 32.95 per cent increase in clinical trial activity at the complex.

The document also highlights the intense activity in conjunction with Ibima, the Bionand Platform and Malaga University, supporting translational research and the development of advanced therapies and precision medicine.

The directors placed special emphasis on initiatives focused on the emotional well-being of patients and professionals, including cultural and community programmes, new, humanised paediatric spaces, home care models and volunteer participation projects.