Rafael Bengoa and José María Aldecoa

The Department of Health and Consumption of the Basque Government and the Mondragon Corporation have signed a framework cooperation agreement in the strategic areas of education, research, technology and applications in the health sector. This is the first time that the public health institution collaborates with the main Basque industrial corporation, thus establishing the path for the Basque Public Health to make use of Mondragon’s knowledge in the improvement of the quality and the excellence of its service network, as well as the products and the services for the citizens.

The agreement was signed after Mondragon launched a new social-health research unit at Polo Garaia in Arrasate to care for the population over 65, which has doubled in the Basque Country, from 7% to 14%, over the past 50 years. This new business area developed by the Group seeks to create wealth and employment in the healthcare sector, offering a model for the care of the elderly both at their homes as well as in nursing homes by means of telemedicine, domotics and the service network offered by the Corporation.

The collaboration agreement was formalised on 22 February by Mr. Rafael Bengoa, councillor of Health and Consumer Affairs, and Mr. Jose Maria Aldecoa, President of Mondragon Corporation. They both emphasised on the relevance of this agreement, since both entities, through their different platforms, believe in the strength of the strategic public-private alliances to ensure the sustainability of the social-economical system and achieve the goals of greater efficiency and innovativeness.

“Our challenges are opportunities for our industrial and business sector, therefore, healthcare services shall no longer be considered as a mere expense since it will turn into a wealth and employment generator within our economic network. Agreements, such as the one we are signing today, are the proof that we are currently going in this direction”, stated councillor Bengoa.

On the other hand, Aldecoa pointed out that they are establishing the way for the Basque Public Health to “take advantage of the knowledge and the experience of the Mondragon Corporation to improve the quality and the excellence of its service network, as well as the products and services provided to the citizens”.

This agreement has a three-year term that may be extended for periods of one year and defines a formal framework for collaboration. It articulates work mechanisms for the presentation and possible implementation of specific projects for the creation, exchange and the transfer of knowledge between the health and business sectors.