The president of the National Federation of Doctors (FNAM), Joana Bordalo e Sá, stated on Friday that doctors are being “pushed to strike” by Health Minister Ana Paula Martins and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
“Doctors are being pushed to this strike by Ana Paula Martins and the government policies of Luís Montenegro, who stubbornly refuse to negotiate fair conditions for doctors in the National Health Service (SNS),” she told journalists near São João Hospital in Porto.
Joana Bordalo e Sá attributed responsibility to the government for any postponed consultations and lamented that the Health Minister only offers “forced mobility for doctors,” accusing her of “not telling the truth.”
“She was not truthful when she said this forced mobility would not happen. The truth is she wants to impose it, and Luís Montenegro is complicit in this and is misleading the entire country if implemented,” she accused.
The issue was initially reported at the beginning of the week, indicating that the Ministry of Health is preparing to forcibly mobilize healthcare professionals for regional emergencies.
“In exceptional and duly substantiated situations, when, by the terms of the end of the previous number, the centralized external emergency must be ensured by professionals from another local health unit, and in the absence of volunteers for the shift, the highest management body of the different health unit where the centralized emergency is located may determine the integration of staff from its personnel in the centralized external emergency shift, of regional scope,” reads an excerpt from a draft decree-law.
This measure, emphasized Joana Bordalo e Sá, “does not serve doctors nor the population” because “pregnant women and babies will not have nearby services.”
“It means that emergency services will be permanently closed, like in Barreiro and Setúbal, and pregnant women and babies will have to travel many kilometers to be attended to,” she highlighted.
One of FNAM’s demands is “to negotiate seriously and transparently without any backstage games” so that more doctors can join the SNS.
“That’s why we’re on strike today,” she declared.
“The intransigence has been total. Clearly, [Ana Paula Martins] shows no sign of wanting to negotiate, only to impose. Impose measures that do not serve doctors, but above all, do not serve the National Health Service. Both Ana Paula Martins and Luís Montenegro are being responsible for the state of the National Health Service,” she added.
It should be noted that FNAM called for a strike this Friday, which coincides with the Public Service strike.
The strike today expects participation from teachers, educators and school staff, doctors, nurses and healthcare staff, public transport workers, inspectors and tax officials, court staff, among others.
The increase in salaries, career enhancement, reinstatement of public employment, and the defense of public services are also reasons for calling the strike that covers all State workers.
