Leaks, Flies and Pigeons: Hospital Employee Raises Concerns Over Formentera Hospital's Condition

10 November 2026

A worker at the Hospital de Formentera has raised concerns about the condition and maintenance of the island's main hospital, reporting water leaks, damp patches, flies, pigeons, building materials stored in an interior courtyard and problems with lighting in the parking areas.

The complaints were reported by local broadcaster Ràdio Illa on 9 November 2026 and subsequently covered by La Voz de Ibiza. They come amid repeated interruptions to scheduled surgical activity following water ingress in the hospital's surgical area.

The employee believes that maintenance problems have been left unresolved for too long and argues that the situation reflects a wider failure to address the building's needs. The Health Area of Ibiza and Formentera has responded by outlining the maintenance procedures already in place and acknowledging that structural improvements are necessary.

Employee Reports Several Maintenance Problems

According to the worker's account, water infiltration has been a recurring problem since October 2025 and has become worse over time.

Among the issues reported are damp marks on the ceiling near the surgical area and the temporary placement of a washing machine used for surgical instruments in a space the employee considers unsuitable.

The worker has also raised concerns about construction tools and materials being stored in one of the hospital's interior courtyards.

Other complaints relate to lighting in the parking areas, where some streetlights have reportedly fallen, as well as the recurring presence of pigeons in the interior courtyards and flies in hospital corridors.

Ràdio Illa reported having received photographs showing several of the conditions described, including a dead fly in a corridor, pigeons on parts of the building, construction materials in a courtyard and the washing machine positioned in an area surrounded by protective plastic.

The employee has also questioned whether the presence of birds near ventilation ducts could create additional hygiene risks. However, the available reporting does not establish that contamination of the ventilation system has occurred.

Surgical Operations Suspended Again After New Leaks

The complaints come after another interruption to scheduled surgery at the hospital.

On 4 November, the hospital resumed planned surgical activity following favourable results from microbiological tests carried out in the affected area. The operations had been suspended since 19 October after water entered the facilities during the DANA Adam weather episode.

However, further rainfall during the night of 4 November caused new water ingress. On 5 November, the Health Area announced that scheduled operations would be suspended again as a precaution.

The latest interruption affected nine planned procedures. Urgent and emergency operations remained available, as did childbirth services.

The Health Area explained that the latest water ingress had occurred at a different point from the previous leaks. It also clarified that the water was detected in the anteroom outside the operating theatre, rather than inside the operating room itself.

The repeated interruptions have raised concerns among staff and residents about the hospital's ability to maintain scheduled surgical services during periods of heavy rainfall.

Health Authorities Acknowledge the Need for Structural Improvements

In its response to Ràdio Illa, the Health Area acknowledged that the hospital requires structural improvements.

According to the administration, work has been underway since the beginning of 2026 to identify the building's needs and communicate them to the Infrastructure Service.

Potential interventions include improvements to the façade and roof as part of a broader structural refurbishment planned for the medium term.

The Health Area also explained that the building is approaching 20 years of age and that damp marks have become visible following rainfall and stress tests being carried out on the facilities.

An assessment by the Preventive Medicine Service has also identified the need for structural improvements.

No detailed budget or confirmed construction timetable for this wider refurbishment was provided in the reporting.

Health Minister Announces Emergency Refurbishment

On 6 November, Balearic Health Minister Manuela García announced that the regional government would bring forward a comprehensive refurbishment of the hospital's surgical area.

Speaking after a meeting of the Balearic Government's Council of Ministers, García said the department intended to use an emergency contract to accelerate the planned works.

The announcement followed repeated restrictions on scheduled surgery despite earlier maintenance, reinforcement, insulation and disinfection work.

The minister said the intention was to prevent the hospital from having to repeatedly suspend scheduled operations whenever heavy rain occurred.

The announcement represents a commitment to accelerate the refurbishment process. It does not, by itself, mean that the construction work has already begun.

Health Area Responds to Concerns About Flies and Pigeons

The employee's complaints also include the presence of flies and pigeons in different parts of the hospital.

In response, the Health Area said that the centre has a pest-control service in place.

Regarding flies, the administration stated that it had been informed about one specimen detected in an exterior area of the hospital and that the incident had been passed to the relevant personnel.

The Health Area also confirmed that the air-conditioning filters had been replaced and that subsequent checks had produced acceptable results.

The employee's account, however, refers to recurring flies in the corridors and pigeons in the interior courtyards. The difference between the worker's observations and the administration's response remains relevant when assessing the scale of the reported problem.

Disagreement Over Internal Communication

The employee has also questioned how maintenance incidents are communicated and managed within the hospital.

The Health Area says staff have an internal system for reporting faults and maintenance problems. These notifications are passed to the external company responsible for maintenance, which is expected to respond. The administration says it can impose penalties if the contractor fails to fulfil its obligations.

The employee maintains that the problems are already known to the relevant authorities and says this is why they have not used the internal reporting procedure.

There is also disagreement over communication surrounding the reopening of scheduled surgery on 4 November.

The worker said some staff learned about the reopening through the media. The Health Area rejected this account, stating that the resumption had been communicated through internal channels and the Surgical Subdirectorate.

A Continuing Challenge for Healthcare on Formentera

The latest complaints add to a series of problems affecting the hospital's surgical facilities over the past year.

In October 2025, heavy rainfall led to the suspension of surgical activity between 11 October and 25 November. Further restrictions occurred in 2026, including interruptions between 13 April and 28 May and between 16 and 28 July.

The latest episode began on 19 October 2026, when the DANA Adam weather system caused further water ingress. Scheduled surgery briefly resumed on 4 November before being suspended again the following day.

For residents of Formentera, the repeated disruptions highlight the importance of reliable hospital infrastructure on an island where access to alternative healthcare facilities can involve travelling to Ibiza.

The regional government's announcement of an emergency refurbishment is a significant development, but the effectiveness of the response will depend on the works being carried out and the hospital's ability to maintain safe and reliable surgical services.

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