The PS/Algarve leader and deputy Miguel Freitas expressed his concern at the possible closure of Health Extensions in the region, during a visit he made to the Health Centers Group in the central area of the Algarve and after meeting with the new management of the Regional Health Administration (ARS) in order to ascertain the “impact of budget cuts on the quality of medical care and health services at the regional level”.
“Our great concern is the sick and, at this moment, the priority issue is the need to guarantee access to health services for people who are at risk of being deprived of medical care in the parishes where they live”, stressed Miguel Freitas.
The deputy added that the ARS of Faro he guaranteed that no decisions have been taken and if some closures are carried out, “alternatives will be created for people”.
"For us, this is a serious matter, which deserves a lot of work and a strong regional consensus, particularly with the mayors, as elderly populations are at stake, who will be completely helpless if these services are closed in places where there is no pharmacy," noted Miguel Freitas.
Another matter also addressed at these meetings had to do with the situation of health professionals, namely, doctors and nurses with fixed-term contracts, having been assured by the ARS that "there will be no redundancies and all contracts deemed necessary will be renewed to guarantee the normal functioning of the services”.
“Right now there are around 145 thousand people without a family doctor in the region and a part of the clinics operating in the Algarve are on fixed-term contracts, which is a strong concern for us, but we were assured that these contracts will keep itself, thus making it possible to ensure the current response in this area”, said the Socialist Parliamentarian.
Miguel Freitas also revealed that "Family Health Units (USF) have represented a very interesting response in the region, as they allowed the integration of 15 citizens who did not have a family doctor, so it is important that they continue to be a regional priority" .
“Above all, it is necessary to guarantee a good health service in the region and that is why we hope that the budget cuts are not blind cuts, that do not jeopardize the medical act, both at the level of clinicians, nurses and other technical health personnel ”, said Miguel Freitas.
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