The executive director of the National Health Service (SNS) called today that, in the event of an acute illness, use the Health Line 24, insisting that this should always be the gateway to the public health service.
«In case of acute illness, turn on SNS24. It has all the information (...), it's a matter of literacy», said Fernando Araújo, who was heard today at the Parliamentary Health Committee, at the request of the PCP, on the closure of birthing blocks in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region.
The executive director of the SNS insisted that Line SNS 24 «must be the gateway» into the system and should always be «the first contact to be established with health». "Not only in childbirth, but in general, in case of acute illness," he added.
When asked about the Safe Birth in the SNS – Summer 2023 Seasonal Plan, which foresees that the birthing blocks of the hospitals of Santa Maria (Lisbon) and Caldas da Rainha close for works in the summer and that, until September, 27 of the 41 maternity hospitals in the country remain in full operation, Fernando Araújo said that since it started to work this plan has worked flawlessly.
«In 2023, the SNS had more births. The Lisbon and Tagus Valley region had more births every day», said the official, adding that the plan has been carried out «without problems» and within the planned schedules.
«In 23 weeks, there was no unplanned closure of any birth block in the country», he insisted, underlining the importance of predictability, security and confidence in the response.
He also said that the evaluation of the plan is positive and that it should be maintained «in a prudent and cautious way» in the summer, with a subsequent evaluation at the end of the year.
Fernando Araújo underlined the «generosity of health professionals» so that all scales can be fulfilled and highlighted the networking that has been done in this area in the SNS.
The official said that in this area the plan runs "in two stages": a short-term one with "temporary approaches" to avoid closures in relevant institutions in the provision of health care, especially in areas where there is no supply, and another, in the medium term. term, which includes measures to attract SNS professionals, such as reviewing careers, investing in equipment and greater articulation between primary and hospital health care.
«It is safe to be born on the SNS. It's not a stroke of luck, it's the result of the work and effort of many professionals who need to continue to provide the conditions to continue working", he said.
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