Overview

• Jesús Sánchez Etxaniz was reportedly admonished for attending a terminally ill 4-year-old outside the service’s official 8 am–3 pm weekday hours despite years of voluntary after-hours care.
• Basque Health Department has rejected any formal sanction and says the doctor’s current medical leave stems from separate issues.
• Only Catalonia, Madrid and Murcia currently provide continuous pediatric palliative care, leaving most regions unable to meet the needs of an estimated 60,000 children requiring such services.
• The Spanish Society of Palliative Care Pediatrics (PEDPAL) and SECPAL have voiced strong support for Sánchez Etxaniz and called for nationwide implementation of round-the-clock pediatric palliative care.
• The Spanish Ministry of Health pledged to advance dignified death and accompaniment protocols as the Basque government moves to roll out 24/7 pediatric palliative services locally.