The emergency department at the Agueda hospital in the Aveiro district is closed this Friday until 8:00 am Saturday, according to the National Health Service emergency schedule map published online.
According to the above map, this service is closed from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM on Saturday.
The situation related to the shortage of doctors to fill the registers will repeat itself again on August 1, when the service will close from 6:00 to 20:00.
During this period, the population is advised to call the emergency line 808 24 24 24 in advance, and in emergency situations, call the telephone line 112 directly.
The measure comes after the Ministry of Health last week authorised the Aveiro Region’s Local Health Unit (ULS) to pay doctors on duty a higher salary than it was paying them to guarantee emergency shifts.
“Aveiro paid less and, naturally, doctors were going to provide services elsewhere,” said Agueda Mayor Jorge Almeida, recalling that emergency rooms at Agueda’s hospital have closed 13 times in the past month.
The mayor hopes that in August and beyond “things will be better,” adding that the hospital administration “now has a tool that leaves them on equal terms with other departments.”
“By being able to pay at the same level as those who pay better, they can be more competitive in attracting doctors to work those hours,” the mayor said.