“Are they waiting for us to die to save their money?”

Under the Franco regime, it is estimated that more than 2,000 children died from this disease. There are around 50,000 survivors, although they have since suffered after-effects. Currently, they barely reach 35,000. A number that has been falling in recent years: “A few years ago, there were 44,000 of us. We die one after the other“, denounces EL ESPAÑOL Rosa Hernandezspokesperson for the Children’s Polio Platform, to which Ibáñez belongs.

Hernanz made the same claim in 2018. And although this time he went from Almería to Madrid to accompany Ibáñez, they prevented him from entering Congress. None of them are proud of what they did. But they had no other choice. In October 2022, The Democratic Memory law recognized them as victims of Francoism as “people who were affected by the poliovirus during the pandemic that devastated Spain from the 1950s of the 20th century”.

“The Government,” the text continues, “will promote investigations and studies that will clarify the truth about what happened concerning the expansion of the epidemic during the Franco dictatorship, as well as the health and social measures in favor of people affected by polio, the late effects of polio and post-polio, which allow their quality of life. ” Two years later Since its entry into force, the eleventh additional provision of the law has not been developed.

Paralysis, obesity and cancer

During the last election campaign, says Hernanz, members of the current government committed to developing a road map of which they are not yet aware. They were not even able to meet health representatives, even though they were also assured of this. “The afternoon before the meeting was scheduled They sent us an email in case we could reschedule it“said Ibáñez.

In addition to recognizing them under the Democratic Memory Act, the executive has developed a guide to distribute in high schools to “remember the boys and girls of polio.” “By removing this, nothing more,” criticizes Hernanz, “on a social and health level, we are ‘naked’ and we really need it. Are they waiting for us to die to save money?“, asks herself, affected by what is called post-polio syndrome (PPS).

This syndrome can appear 15 to 40 years after recovery from polio. And according to recent studies, it has been described in up to 40% of people who have suffered from it. Its symptoms range from new episodes of paralysis to muscle weakness and respiratory failure. In the case of Hernanz, He went from walking with canes to walking in a wheelchair. The obesity caused by this change caused a hormonal imbalance which, in turn, led to cancer.

Isabelle Oriowho was also expelled from Congress last Thursday, tells this newspaper that in 2015 she suffered a fall during which she broke her femur, because she “no longer has strength” in one of her legs because of polio. Barely a year later, he began experiencing pain in both limbs. The three women concerned insist on clarifying that they speak on behalf of those who cannot do so, because “many of them are bedridden and benefit from assisted breathing”.

Census, rehabilitation and compensation

It is for this reason that one of their main demands is that they benefit from “frequent rehabilitation”. At the end of the 10 sessions to which they are entitled, they are obliged to pay for them out of their own pocket. “Those who can afford to pay 70 euros per week,” says Hernanz. She considers herself “lucky” because she worked at ONCE and They recognized him as suffering from absolute permanent disability. “But there are those who receive the minimum pension.”

If this request is not met, they ask for at least a little helpsimilar to that perceived by thalidomide victims, who also consider themselves victims of the regime and have received financial aid since last year. It was approved by royal decree-law, as proposed by those affected by polio. “They can do it perfectly,” Hernanz says. “We demand that they give us compensation. First, for what the dictatorship has done to us; and second, for what democracy is doing to us.”

“When they came to pick me up for rehabilitation, I peed,” Ibáñez recalls with horror of his childhood in the hospital. “We were afraid to go there because they would hurt us. They tied us up with clamps so we couldn’t move“. He has undergone nine operations on his leg. The last, a bone lengthening of the tibia. This is why, when he goes to the doctor, he looks at his x-ray “surprised” when he notices that “a piece of his fibula is missing.”

The pain they experienced under the Franco regime is not only known to them. They had help from their parents and grandparents. From now on, this role is played by their children, who respect the home care hours they demand: “If my daughter doesn’t help me, I can’t shower I don’t even have to put on my shoes,” one of them said. “Are we going to be a burden on our children too? Please at least give us a dignified old age. »

Another of the demands of this group is that a census be carried out of people affected by polio and those currently suffering from PPS, with the sole aim of continuing research on this subject. The last census, prepared by the Carlos III Health Institute, dates back to 2002. It was estimated that the population affected by post-polio syndrome in Spain varied between 10,662 and 36,253.

“Do you want me to be sincere?” Ibáñez responds when asked if he is convinced that these demands will come true. “No. With the current government, no. They do nothing. What are we, “kids with polio”? The last shit?“, he concludes.