The resigned head of the gynecology department of the MAC will remain in his post until replaced

The doctor in charge of gynaecology and obstetrics at the Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital in Lisbon, who resigned this Wednesday, will remain in his position until he is replaced, the local health department (ULS) of São José announced.

In a note sent to Lusa, ULS in São José, which is part of the Maternidade Alfredo da Costa (MAC), said Carlos Marques “will remain in his post until a new person in charge of this specialty is appointed, after which he will continue to perform the functions of a specialist on the MAC staff.”

ULS São José adds that “this dismissal does not affect the normal functioning of the maternity ward, which continues to respond to the needs of the population, as is currently the case.”

The Board of Directors of ULS São José simply states that “the process of replacing” the person responsible for the specialty of Gynecology and Obstetrics is underway.

According to the department, “Carlos Marquez’s resignation statement” was submitted by letter on August 12 and accepted at a meeting of the Council of Ministers. [Conselho de Administração] “August 13th.”

“CA is grateful for the dedication, commitment and professionalism of all MAC professionals who have enabled us to maintain our routine provision of quality and safe care and collaboration with other healthcare providers,” the statement said.

ULS emphasizes that “this formulation, combined with the increased efforts of professionals, has allowed MAC to always keep its doors open, responding to the needs of women in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region, as well as in other regions, always with the commitment of a huge team.”

The news of Carlos Márquez’s dismissal was reported by Radio Renascença, where it was revealed that the person in charge had written a letter to the president of ULS San José Rosa Valente de Matos, in which she spoke of “a high workload while maternity hospitals are breaking birth records.”

Asked by journalists during the opening of health centres in the municipality of Tondela, the Minister of Health declined to comment on the dismissal, sending an explanation to the President of ULS in São José.

Asked by journalists during the opening of health centres in the municipality of Tondela, the Minister of Health declined to comment on the dismissal, sending an explanation to the President of ULS in São José.

Last week, Rosa Valente de Matos, speaking to Lusa, warned that the “great effort” that MAC specialists are making cannot be continued for long, recalling that it was only on the 12th that five emergency gynecological departments and the Obstetrics department were closed – the maternity hospital had 25 births, the highest figure since 2013, when 22 births were recorded in one day in January.

The same person also asked the NHS Executive to strengthen co-ordination between hospitals, given the rotational closure of emergency departments in these specialties, bearing in mind that “MAC capacity is also somewhat limited”.

MAC recorded an average of 442 ED visits per week in August, up from the July average of 320, and an average of 13 births per day, 15 on weekends (an average of 11 births in the same month in 2023).