Thousands of doctors and nurses went on strike across Spain's Madrid region on Tuesday as part of a protest against plans for privatization of the public health system.

Over 200,000 people cast symbolic votes against the plan in what is the first of five one-day strikes scheduled to be held over the next five weeks.

The protest shut down all but urgent care in 34 hospitals and dozens of health centres in the autonomous community of Madrid, a region of 6.5 million people which includes the capital.

Doctors, nurses and other health workers believe that the plans to externalize services will lead to a reduction in the quality of patient care in the region. They also complain that the government had not put forward concrete figures as to just how much money would be saved by the privatizations.

The regional government refuses to give credibility to the vote. Endi

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