Health Minister Manuel Pizarro said this Friday that although not everything is working perfectly, pregnant women continue to receive treatment in the National Health Service (SNS) “with quality and safety”.
A Doctor’s appointment (OM) reported “absolutely dramatic situations” of lack of response in the country’s maternity hospitals, but the responsible minister said he had “no idea that monitoring was not the most appropriate.”
“I recognize that the fact that not all maternity hospitals can operate at full capacity naturally creates concerns and difficulties. “People continue to be served with quality and safety,” Manuel Pizarro said this Friday in Covilha, on the sidelines of the ceremony of the 25th anniversary of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of the Interior of Beira.
According to the Health Minister, according to the latest available data, Portugal remains among the best countries in the world for maternal and child health as of 2022, with more babies already born in the SNA in 2023 than last year.
“I don’t see that from this point of view we can’t have a message that isn’t a message of calm,” the government official said.
Despite these data, the Minister of Health expressed concern that not everything is working to its full potential.
“Of course, I am not happy and do not stop worrying about the fact that not everything works perfectly. I am aware that this causes at least some concern,” emphasized Manuel Pizarro.
Asked about the OM’s announcement to set up a commission to evaluate about 50 public and private maternity hospitals in the country, given what he considers an “absolute failure scenario” for the government’s program, the minister considered it an “absolute failure scenario” for the government’s program. a contribution that is very welcome.”
“We really need the OM to also provide technical input, namely to understand whether it makes sense for us to have private maternity hospitals in the country that are not subject to the same rules as public sector maternity hospitals, where they are in some cases , 100% of births occur by caesarean section,” answered Manuel Pizarro.
According to OM President Carlos Cortés, the physical, technical and personnel state of maternity hospitals will be assessed in order to check what the problems are and indicate solutions, especially from the point of view of specialists, knowing how many of them are needed for the country and in which places, as well technical technological means necessary for monitoring pregnant women.
Upon completion of the work, the OM will send a document with its recommendations to the Ministry of Health for their implementation, “if it so desires.”
Carlos Cortes hopes to be able to present the document in March or April, when the new government’s Ministry of Health “will be ready to begin its functions.”
Manuel Pizarro also took the opportunity to defend the creation of medical courses in Alentejo and Trás os Montes, a place that requires “more careful consideration.”
According to the official, “it is very important that new faculties are created in those areas where, obviously, there are also great difficulties in attracting qualified personnel.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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