Isilda Gomes, former Civil Governor and current PS candidate for the Portimão Chamber, sent a letter to the Minister of Health about the Barlavento Algarvio Hospital Center (CHBA), in which she considers the introduction of paid parking as a “moderating surcharge”.
In the letter, Isilda Gomes expresses her "total opposition" to what she considers to be "an attack on our public hospital" and classifies the introduction as payment in parking lots as “an economistic measure that has two purposes: to raise revenue in an illegitimate way to finance the hospital itself and to create what I would call a “moderating surcharge”, which aims to further restrict the population's access to the health care they need”.
Anticipating the argument that many other health units across the country have paid parking, the socialist candidate recalls that “this Hospital is located on the outskirts of the city of Portimão” and “does not have valid parking alternatives. All other hospitals with similar systems are located within the urban areas of the cities they serve”.
Furthermore, he stresses, «this Hospital serves half of the Algarve, from Aljezur to Albufeira, and access to Portimão is, for the most part, made by its own vehicle, due to the obvious lack of alternatives».
"Anyone who, as of today, goes to the CHBA for a consultation, surgery, a hospital emergency, or simply to visit a hospitalized family member, will see access barred for an absurd fee, which he cannot escape", laments the candidate of the PS.
Isilda Gomes even calls for the “direct intervention” of minister Paulo Macedo, to “stop this measure that, in everything, harms the Algarve, in general, and, in particular, Portimão and its population”.
The former Civil Governor admits that she recognizes “the difficulties and constraints that [the Ministry of Health] is facing in relation to the financing of the National Health Service, but users, especially the most disadvantaged, cannot bear the full weight of the financing the system, calling into question principles so dear to the rule of law such as equity and equality in access to health care».
With regard to paid parking, the PS candidate finally recalls that "the main political forces in the municipality of Portimão, including the PSD, the main coalition party that supports the Government, have already expressed their repudiation of this measure."
But Isilda Gomes also has other concerns in relation to the CHBA and speaks of them to the minister of Health, expressing her concern with “some news that has been circulated and that point to the Government's intention to close the Hospital Center of the Barlavento Algarvio, relocating these services for the Central Hospital of Faro».
Ensuring that such news has caused a "social alarm", he stresses that its "denial" is essential to "restore serenity to the resident population, to tourists who visit us and, above all, to health professionals who daily give their best to this unit'.
“I reiterate my total opposition to what I consider to be an attack on our public hospital. Opposition is shared by all Portimonenses», he concludes.
Comments