The Algarve's health professionals will even go on strike and it will be on the 22nd of August, that is, from tomorrow to eight days. Doctors, nurses, administrative staff and health assistants will join in protest against the lack of conditions in the Algarve's health units, fulfilling the threat made about a week and a half ago and call on the region's population to join their struggle .
At a joint press conference, held today, Thursday, in front of the Health Center of Faro, the unions of Doctors of the South Zone (SMZS), Nurses (SEP), Civil Service (FP) and the Union of Unions of the Algarve (Usal) announced that the strike notice had already been given and that, in addition to the work stoppage, a Public Tribune will be held in front of the headquarters of the Regional Health Administration of the Algarve, at 17 pm, which will also be attended by Algarvian mayors and deputies to the Assembly of the Republic elected by the region.
The decision to move towards a strike of all professional classes that coexist in health units, unprecedented in the Algarve, was taken following two plenary sessions of workers promoted last Friday and this Monday, at Hospitals de Faro and Portimão and Lagos, respectively. At the same time, “the colleagues from the different health units in the region were being surveyed”.
“What we were told was the confirmation of what we have been denouncing for a long time: a huge shortage of personnel, material shortages and new consequences of these failures”, described the SEP/Algarve leader Nuno Manjua.
Nuno Manjua: "Any day we are unable to provide the most basic health care"
So, it was decided to go forward with two forms of struggle. Right from the start, «the strike on 22 August, 24 hours, for all health professionals in the Algarve». At the same time, the workers, in plenary, decided to «declare this day as the Regional Day in Defense of the National Health Service of the Algarve», which will be marked with the aforementioned Public Tribune.
«The professionals wanted to invite everyone to be present. In fact, this is already everyone's initiative. Health professionals, users, mayors and deputies elected by the Algarve, who have been contacted, in order to be present, so that together we can defend the health of the Algarve», said the unionist in Algarve.
There was also an appeal to the population "to mobilize, in defense of their health, that of family and friends, because any day we will not be able to provide what is the most basic health care." A situation that, he guarantees, is very close.
Strike in August is "an end to empty declarations" by those responsible for Health
The fight actions announced this Thursday are "enough empty declarations by our officials, who assume that there are 823 health professionals in the Algarve, say they will open up significant vacancies for the Algarve." "What is certain is that the only vacancies that were opened were for doctors, assuming right away that they would remain unfilled and are not consistent, because they do not open competitions for other professions," said Nuno Manjua.
But, as the scope of this strike demonstrates, the problems in health services are not just linked to doctors and nurses. The lack of personnel is general and affects not only the clinical part, but also all other sectors of the health units, calling into question actions that are not always focused, but fundamental, such as the cleaning of users and treatment spaces, garbage collection, administrative procedures and the service itself, among others.
“We are talking about failures at all levels. We have staff who are constantly making 16-hour shifts in admissions and emergency services, due to lack of staff. (…) There are telephone operators who work alone shifts from 16 pm to midnight, without time to go out to do basic necessities or eat, as they are isolated at the telephone exchange”, illustrated the coordinator of the Civil Service Union in Algarve Rosa Franco.
The choice of summer to carry out a strike in the Algarve serves, union members admit, to make a point. «The population of the Algarve triples in the summer and measures were not taken to reinforce the services, to be able to respond to residents and tourists. We are here at the door of the Health Center of Faro, where colleagues tell us that many tourists come for treatments and they cannot respond», revealed Nuno Manjua.
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