The business is not the healthcare business; the business of illness is a very powerful business. And we have a government serving the business of illness, with options serving that business,” accused Paulo Raimundo.
Speaking on Tuesday night at a public session organized by CDU in Brenha, one of the smallest parishes in the municipality of Figueira da Foz, Coimbra district, the communist leader targeted his speech at the Minister of Health, emphasizing that what Ana Paula Martins should do, given the lack of professionals in the National Health Service, is hire more doctors, nurses, and technicians.
“And not what has been announced once again, which is diverting patients without a family doctor to the private sector. Life, each person’s health, the health of the country, is not a business. It is a right that must be guaranteed by the State, by the Government, and by the National Health Service,” he argued.
In the same address, before about 130 CDU members and supporters, Paulo Raimundo discussed the new labor package—labeling it a declaration of war on workers and expressing hope and confidence that the new legislation would be defeated—but also in the area of housing, where he claimed three things are increasing: housing costs, rent values, and bank profits.
In the area of social security, Paulo Raimundo stressed that after a lifetime of work, “there are still those who live with great difficulties, with miserable pensions and retirement plans.”
“Here are the people who do not resign themselves and who indeed believe that it is necessary, and that it will be possible, sooner or later, that 40 years of work, 40 years of contributions, are more than enough to be entitled to a pension without any penalties. This has to move forward, as it involves people’s lives too,” emphasized the PCP leader.
The public session aimed to present CDU’s candidates to the parish of Brenha, which, due to the 2013 administrative reform, had ceased to exist and has now been re-established twelve years later, although it only has 743 registered voters, according to the latest data published in June.
Regarding the upcoming municipal elections on October 12, among other topics, Paulo Raimundo highlighted the independents who are part of CDU’s lists, which represent more than a third (about 12,000) of the total 35,000 candidates.
