Protestors march in support of public health services amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Madrid.  (Photo: Reuters)

Madrid, November 30 (RHC)-- Doctors and nurses protested in Madrid against cuts which they say left them struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.  Singing 'Less flags and more nurses', about 4,000 protesters marched through the Spanish capital, the hardest-hit region by coronavirus infections.

"Of course they are segregating (health). What you have is what your worth. In the private (health) companies it is a business, they will benefit the owner of the company. In the public they attend everyone whether you have money or you don't," said Lucia Tielvez an auxiliary health worker.

Hundreds of Madrid residents joined the demonstration holding umbrellas to meet social distancing. Madrid's conservative regional government has denied cutting health services.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez urged Spaniards to avoid large family gatherings this Christmas to avoid a rise in COVID-19 cases. Spain's left-wing government is considering limiting Christmas gatherings to six people.  

Spain added 10,853 new cases of COVID-19 to its tally on Friday, November 27, according to health ministry data, down from more than 12,000 the day before.  The number of people who died from coronavirus in Spain rose by 294 on Friday, bringing the total death toll from the pandemic to 44,668, while the cumulative total of cases reached 1,628,208.