The executive director of the National Health Service (SNS) acknowledges an increase in births outside of homes or hospitals but dismisses a direct link to the closure of obstetric and gynecological emergency services.
“There is indeed a slight increase in the number of births outside homes and hospitals, about six more this year compared to last year, but it is not directly related to the closures of emergency services. This is because the number of closures is lower this year than it was last year,” he stated in an interview, confirming that the Executive is already “analyzing each of the 56 cases” they are aware of to “try to understand why there is this slight increase this year.”
The official noted that “there are few cases in absolute value, which means each will have a specificity.” “We are trying to find a pattern, common lines that allow us to act and correct certain issues,” he assured.
The SNS executive director regrets the situation, but highlights that “in certain cases, the situation develops so quickly that it would never be possible to respond,” while acknowledging that “in other cases, there may be some difficulties in the response process.”
Even though he argues that the situation of emergency services is currently “stabilized,” he admits “it is not ideal, in the sense that we do not have the entire network we would like,” since the SNS only has half the necessary obstetricians to ensure all emergencies.
To address all cases, Álvaro Almeida believes it is necessary to ensure that the emergency network has response capacity compatible with available resources, which can be achieved by “concentrating emergencies,” although he assures “this is not yet planned.” Meanwhile, there is an “intermediate solution,” which is “these rotating emergencies.”
Regarding the general state of health, the SNS executive director argues that “the situation today is better than it was last year and two years ago.” “Could we have done more, we did what was possible, improved something, did not solve all problems, that’s true, but I also don’t see how anyone could solve all problems in six months or even six years,” he comments.
For the coming year, his priority is to “improve the functioning of the SNS in its dimensions” and also “ensure that all citizens receive the response they need.”
Speaking of concrete measures, Álvaro Almeida points to enhancing response capacity in long-term care, both in the national network of continuous care and in the national network of palliative care, “which will have 100 more vacancies in support teams.”
“We had an increase of about 7% capacity last year [in the continuous care network]. About 700 more beds in various typologies are planned for next year. “And this meets the needs, already identified for many years,” he assures.
It should be recalled that Álvaro Almeida was appointed executive director of the SNS at the beginning of the year, following the resignation of Gandra d’Almeida, after a journalistic investigation revealed he had irregularly accumulated functions.
