Officials have warned that the start-up of health centers in Melides and Azenheira dos Barros, in the municipality of Grândola (Setubal), will allow the service of two thousand users in an area where there is a shortage of health professionals.
The construction of the two devices, which was inaugurated this week, represents an investment by the Local Health Unit of the Alentejo Coast (ULSLA) of around 500 thousand euros, funded by Portugal 2020.
“Modern spaces, equipped with the latest technology, with clinical and non-clinical tools available to all,” explained Katarina Philip, Chair of the ULSLA Board of Directors.
According to the official, the investment is the result of a joint effort by ULSLA, the Parish Councils of Melides and Azinheira dos Barros, and the City Council of Grândola.
“We believe that through dialogue and the permanent construction of solutions we can provide the entire region with a network of health centers,” said Catarina Felipe, anticipating the opening of new equipment in São Domingos, in the municipality of Santiago. Cacém, São Martinho das Amoreiras and São Luís (Odemira) already “at the beginning of 2023”.
Despite the investments in new equipment, the official did not hide the difficulty of gathering “new resources”, acknowledging that the lack of health professionals is “one of the biggest problems” in this region.
Therefore, he advocated the need to find “solutions that help attract more health professionals to both primary care and hospital care.”
Speaking to Lusa Agency, the mayor of Grandola, Antonio Figueira Mendez, said the new equipment “provides another quality and convenience for health professionals and users” in the two parishes.
“There were no sanitary extensions” in these two locations, the mayor specified, adding that the service provided to users was provided in the Casas do Povo de Azinheira dos Barros and Melides, “in very precarious structures, without the quality” of the new facilities.
Although these investments are welcome, Antonio Figueira Mendes warned of the urgent need for “human resources” in health in the region.
“Above all, doctors and nurses who can provide health care to people, which we have not had until now,” he emphasized.
In Melides’ case, “I think there is [um médico] every day,” but in Azinheira dos Barros “it goes once a week,” noted the mayor.
In “Canal Cavera”. [o médico] It goes from month to month, when it happens, and the Grandola health center is full of shortages due to the lack of doctors and nurses,” he denounced.
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