Imagine Madrid in the early 20th century. Tuberculosis was rampant. The Hospital de Cantoblanco emerged as a beacon of hope.
The Hospital de Cantoblanco stands before us. It was Madrid’s first sanatorium for the city’s poor suffering from tuberculosis. Its story began with a pressing need. The Royal Antituberculosis Board sponsored its construction.
In 1907, the Fuencarral City Council donated land in Valdelatas. Construction began. The first stone was laid May 5, 1915. The Hospital de Cantoblanco opened its doors May 25, 1917. King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia themselves inaugurated it. It was originally named Real Sanatorio Popular Antituberculoso Victoria Eugenia.
Architects Amós Salvador Carreras and Bernardo Giner de los Ríos García designed the hospital. Initially, it had 60 beds. The second treatment pavilion opened in 1922. By 1931, it was renamed Valdelatas Antituberculosis Sanatorium. Later expansions increased its capacity to 550 beds. This made it one of Spain’s largest tuberculosis sanatoriums. Architect Aurelio Botella oversaw these expansions.
After the Spanish Civil War, the National Antituberculosis Board managed the Hospital de Cantoblanco. By 1952, tuberculosis cases decreased. The hospital expanded its services. It was renamed National Antituberculosis and Chest Diseases Sanatorium of Valdelatas.
In 1986, the Community of Madrid took over. Structural and organizational reforms followed. In 1992, it merged with the Alonso Vega Psychiatric Hospital. This formed the Cantoblanco-Psychiatric Hospital Complex.
The Hospital de Cantoblanco’s management shifted again. On January 1, 1999, it came under the Hospital Gregorio Marañón. Finally, on August 4, 2005, it was transferred to the Hospital Universitario La Paz.
Even 100 years after its opening, in 2017, the Hospital de Cantoblanco managed 7% of Hospital La Paz’s admissions. The Hospital de Cantoblanco is divided into four pavilions. These are San José-16, San Francisco-30, San Luis-32 and the Surgical Pavilion-54. They are spread over approximately 40,000 square meters.
Today, the Hospital de Cantoblanco offers various services. These include a Geriatric Day Hospital with a gym and occupational therapy area. There is also a rehabilitation area. It features a gym and occupational therapy. The hospital has operating rooms for orthopedic and trauma surgeries. It also has a surgery room for outpatient dermatology procedures.
The Hospital de Cantoblanco also houses specialized units. The Respiratory Isolation Unit is a reference in the Community of Madrid. It was created in September 1997. This unit treats multi-resistant tuberculosis patients. It has six individual isolation rooms with negative pressure.
The Hospital de Cantoblanco stands as a testament to medical progress. It has adapted to changing healthcare needs. From its start as a tuberculosis sanatorium to its current role, it remains vital. It provides essential medical services to Madrid. The Hospital de Cantoblanco continues to serve the community. It is a living reminder of Madrid’s fight against disease.