The pharmacy in Alustante, a small municipality in Guadalajara, could close its doors at the end of this month following the retirement of its owner, Vicente Alcañiz, after more than 40 years of service. The problem is not a lack of business, since it is one of the pharmacies with the highest turnover in the area, but that no one wants to take charge. It would certainly not be the first time that the last business in its sector in a rural area has closed due to the retirement of the owners and lack of relief, as happened to Miguel and Antonia with the last supermarket in a town in Almería.
The situation has generated an urgent call that has already been spread on social networks, such as the message published on LinkedIn by Sylvia Lorente, in which she asks for help finding a pharmacist: “In order not to lose their license, they urgently need to find a substitute pharmacist.”
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Social Security establishes that starting in 2027 the retirement age will be 67 years unless you have 38 years and 6 months of contributions.
For years, the owners have tried to find relief without success. “We have been searching for 5 years, advertising it in all the colleges of pharmacists, in pharmacy agencies and we have not succeeded,” explains Amparo, pharmacist and wife of the owner. “So, now this is like a respite, but the idea was to close because there is no other possibility.”
A key service for several towns
The possible closure would not only affect Alustante, but also other nearby towns that depend on this pharmacy. In addition to serving the municipality, the establishment provides service to different first aid stores in the area.
“He goes two days a week to Alcoroches, well he goes two days a week, he goes to Piqueras another day and then he also goes to other towns another day because he serves other towns where the majority of people are older, it’s true,” details Amparo.
The disappearance of this service would be a serious problem, especially for the older population, who needs frequent access to medication.
The main problem: “they say it is far away”
One of the main obstacles to finding a substitute is the perception of isolation. Many candidates reject the offer when they know the location.
“It is far away, for most people when they see Guadalajara they think it is next door, but it is far from Madrid,” explains Amparo. “I understand that the best is Madrid, but of course, the rest of Spain also exists.”
However, the municipality insists that the reality is very different. The area has connections with several provinces and allows access to cities in less than an hour.
Facilities for those who want to take charge
Given the urgency, the City Council has intensified the search and offers favorable conditions to attract a professional.
“We would leave the pharmacy premises for free. It also has a warehouse that we would also leave for free, and we also have some possibility in terms of housing,” says the mayor, Rosa Abel Muñoz.
“It’s a pharmacy that is, come on, it’s an economically solvent establishment, and it’s also demonstrable, come on, that’s for sure.”
A problem that threatens rural areas
The case of Alustante is neither the first nor the last. The lack of professionals in rural areas is causing the closure of essential services in different parts of Spain, as happened to Mario Sanz, the last lighthouse keeper of Almería.
“Seven have been closed recently due to similar circumstances,” says Amparo, who regrets that many young people are not willing to settle in towns despite the advantages they offer.
For the mayor, the loss of the pharmacy would be a very hard blow: “When a service closes, it is very difficult to reopen it,” she declares.
The future of this establishment remains uncertain. Meanwhile, neighbors and authorities remain hopeful that a pharmacist will appear willing to take the step and prevent Alustante from losing an essential service after more than four decades in operation.