Portugal is experiencing a serious crisis in its public health system, with emergency rooms closed in several hospitals and long waiting lists. This critical situation is the result of a shortage of resources and professionals, as reported by the Portuguese Medical Association this Tuesday (3).
The hospital crisis, already evident in recent years, has worsened in recent weeks due to the refusal of hundreds of health professionals to work overtime beyond the mandatory 150 hours per year. This decision affects several areas, including Gynecology, Obstetrics, Cardiology, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Surgery and Medical Emergency.
The president of the Order of Doctors, Carlos Cortes, highlighted that the exhaustion of doctors is palpable, and negotiations with the Ministry of Health of the Portuguese socialist government did not bring solutions. Currently, more than 1,500 health professionals in the country have reported that they are not available to exceed the legal overtime limit.
“Right now, emergency services in Portugal are compromised and many hospitals are not able to provide care,” Cortes told EFE.
The situation led the Order of Doctors to request an urgent meeting last Sunday (1st) with the Minister of Health of Portugal, Manuel Pizarro. According to Cortes, it is now necessary for the ministry to implement practical measures to resolve the crisis, such as reviewing the medical career, valuing the role of doctors in the National Health Service (SNS) and improving working and training conditions.
The crisis in Portugal’s public health system has resulted in patients being transferred to distant hospitals, constant strikes by health workers and long queues for medical care. The resignation of the previous Minister of Health, Marta Temido, in August last year, had already reflected the seriousness of the situation, reported news carried by the Portuguese media.
According to information released by the Portuguese news agency Lusa, the spokesperson for the Doctors in Struggle movement, Susana Costa, stated that the Portuguese public health system is “crumbling” at the moment and that the country’s doctors can no longer prevent this “demolition “.
The Medical Association warned that until next week there could be patients without access to basic health care. Cortes highlighted the lack of sensitivity of the Portuguese socialist government, led by Prime Minister António Costa, and the urgent need to value the country’s doctors.
“Doctors are very tired. They are exhausted. There were negotiations with the Ministry of Health and they did not work out. Doctors, not in an organized movement, but spontaneously, decided to start putting limits on hours [extras]”, said Cortes. (With EFE Agency)
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