The Algarve is now «one of the best-served regions of the country» in terms of Continuing Care, after having seen the offer increase by 65 beds, at the end of 2013.
Two Continued Care Units, which were already operating in I am (Faro) e in Rogil (Aljezur), were officially inaugurated this Friday and, for now, close the cycle of investments in public infrastructure of this nature in the region.
Both inaugurations were attended by the Secretary of State for Health Fernando Leal da Costa, who came to the region to formalize the opening of the units.
Milreu's Long-Term Integrated Continued Care and Maintenance Unit, in Estoi, inaugurated this morning, has been in operation since October 7, 2013 and has increased the offer in the region by 40 beds. The work, promoted by the Algarvian Social Development Foundation, cost around 2,5 million euros, 750 of which were financed by the Modeling II Program of the Ministry of Health.
This afternoon, from 15 pm, it was the turn of the Long-Term Integrated Continued Care and Maintenance Unit in Aljezur to be inaugurated. Here, the offer is 25 beds and it went into operation last November.
This unit, managed by Casa da Criança do Rogil, cost 1,8 million euros and also had a contribution of 750 euros, under the Modeling II Programme.
These new units came to fix the Algarve's Continuing and Long-Term Care offer in «497 beds, distributed in 15 units, two of private initiative and 13 of the public network», revealed the director of the Social Security District Center of the Algarve Ofélia Ramos .
To keep the Algarvian units in operation, the Social Security will enter, annually, with an amount of "about 3,5 million euros", he added.
Fernando Leal da Costa, who spoke with journalists this morning, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Estoi unit, revealed, in turn, that a cycle of investments in this area is about to close and that, to be done more than already were scheduled, will only happen "in large urban centers", such as Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra, where "there is greater need".
With the opening of these two units, «the Algarve becomes one of the best-served regions of the country in terms of Continuing Care», taking into account its size and the population that lives here.
Rogério Bacalhau asks for investment in the Hospital de Faro
The mayor of Faro Rogério Bacalhau asked the Secretary of State for Health this morning to launch "a recovery plan for the Hospital Center of the Algarve (CHA)", which includes investments and improvements in the Hospital de Faro, «since the construction of the new Central Hospital of the Algarve was postponed to the Greek calendar».
"We want the CHA to have more skills, to have the right equipment, but above all, to have sufficient human resources," he said, during the inauguration ceremony of the new Continued Care Unit in Estoi.
The lack of specialist doctors and nurses was, moreover, a failure recently admitted by the CHA administration, situation that will prevent the financial effects of the merger of hospitals. Faro and Portimão make yourself felt.
Fernando Leal da Costa guaranteed that he will not "stop investing" in the region's hospitals and added that he refuses to "repeat mistakes made in some parts of the country", where he considers that "people were put to chase a chimera". in this case, a new health unit, something that justified not investing in existing ones.
«We have been betting on improvements at the Hospital de Faro. We have also systematically opened competitions to hire new health professionals”, something that has not had the desired effect. This, despite the fact that, in the view of the member of the Government, the Algarve is possibly «one of the best places in the country to work» in this area. A message that will have to be emphasized, in the future, to try to convince more health professionals to settle in the region, he considered.
Comments