Osakidetza is working on an agreement with Osatek for MRIs on weekends, nights and holidays
The Basque health service will add 4 new MRI equipment to its network, for which it will invest EUR 5.5 million.
Osakidetza is negotiating an agreement with Osatek, the public body responsible for managing 75% of the MRIs carried outin the Basque Country , so that its equipment can be used directly, a collaboration that would be activated at times when the service is not available due to operational or personnel limitations in Osatek, suchas nights, weekends and holidays.
This was announced on Monday by the Director-General of Osakidetza, Lore Bilbao, in the Committee on Health of the Basque Parliament, who explained that this cooperation is part of the shock plan put in place to improve care and accessibility and aims to reduce waiting times for these tests.
The Department of Health has stressed that the lists for such a test in Osatek have been reduced by 29% in the last six months due, among other things, to the expansion and modernization of equipment and the adoption of operational measures. "However, there is still room for improvement," Bilbao said.
New equipment
Osakidetza has modernized the devices and purchased equipment that allows patients greater comfort and more accurate scans . It has also announced the purchase of four new MRI equipment between 2026 and 2027, two of which were launched in June at Donostia University Hospital.
These operations involve an investment ofEUR 5.5 million , as set out in the Health Infrastructure and Equipment Programme 2025-2032 of the Department of Health of the Basque Government.
In this context, Osakidetza hopes to continue to reduce waiting times by consolidating the positive trend, which, according to the latest Osatek data (June 2026), puts 28,687 patients on the list, 29% less than six months ago.
Waiting lists 2026
Guipúzcoa
- June: 9,937 patients (1,926 per machine)
- January: 14,361 patients (2,394 per machine)
Bizkaia
- June: 13,748 patients (1,719 per machine)
- January: 19,108 patients (2,389 per machine)
Álava
- June: 5,002 patients (per 1,000 machines)
- January: 6,692 patients (1,338 per machine)
You might like
A 36-year-old Basque mountaineer was seriously injured in Asturias when a rock fell as he climbed
Apparently, the stone has fallen about 300 metres above where the woman was, who has suffered severe head trauma and has been transferred to the Asturias General University Hospital (HUCA).
Hundreds of people received the Freedom Flotilla ship in the Basque Country
He plans to stay in the Basque Country until Tuesday, the 8th, when he will leave for Vigo and then continue to other areas of the Mediterranean. During the ship's stay in Bilbao, various events have been organised, including conferences, performances, a Palestinian fair and a press conference with activists from the flotilla.
A 25-year-old woman has been arrested in Elciego on charges of running over her partner
He has been charged with attempted murder in the area of domestic violence. The incident took place around 7.30 a.m. on Saturday morning. The detainee has been transferred to police stations and, once the proceedings have been completed, will be brought before the court.
A 20-year-old boy died on Lekeitio's Geese Day after falling off a fence; the celebration was suspended
The young man, who was in the harbor following the test of geese, has fallen from a height of about two metres. Thousands of people have gathered in Lekeitio today and the event was developing normally until the accident.
Nearly 4,000 people have gathered at the Sagardo Eguna in Donostia
They have the opportunity to taste cider from 32 cider shops in Gipuzkoa. They have threatened the day with music from trikitilaris and bertsolaris. One of the most emotional moments has been the act of tribute to Jabier Ansorena and Marian Matas.
September 5th has been declared Local Democratic Memory Day in Irun
The Irun City Council has declared 5 September as Local Democratic Memory Day, with the support of all the political groups of the City Council, which today commemorated all the Iranians who suffered a military coup, war and dictatorship.
The Ertzaintza arrested a man in Urduliz accused of throwing bottles at three people
The attack took place at around 6.20 p.m. near the metro station, where a group of some 200 people had gathered in the vicinity, and the detainee had previously been arrested for similar events.
Three people have been arrested in Gernika on charges of forcing a 14-year-old pregnant girl to marry
An investigation is also under way into a 17-year-old, the alleged father of the child, who has not been located.
Tests on the Mole's underground passage trains begin next week
The infrastructure will be available by Christmas, according to the forecasts of the Basque Government.
The alleged perpetrator of Barakaldo's murder is still at the police station awaiting testimony before the judge
The Ertzaintza continues to investigate, and early hypotheses suggest that "sentimental" may be the cause of the incident.