The Ministry of Health has announced the authorization for the Unidade Local de Saúde do Oeste to distribute expenses for the creation of an Intensive Care Service at the Torres Vedras emergency unit. This measure is part of ongoing efforts until a new hospital is constructed in the Oeste region.
An investment totaling 1.4 million euros, plus VAT, has been allocated for the project, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). These funds are designated for the modernization and renewal of hospital facilities and equipment.
The Ministry has approved the distribution of costs over two years, with 576,000 euros earmarked for 2025 and 854,000 euros for 2026, in alignment with the project’s timeline.
Elsa Baião, president of the board at Unidade Local de Saúde do Oeste, indicated that further details about the project would be provided at a later date.
This initiative has been part of the National Network of Hospital Specialty and Intensive Care Referral since 2021, the year the Parliament passed recommendations for establishing the Intensive Care Unit in the Oeste.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals in Caldas da Rainha, Torres Vedras, and Peniche faced significant challenges due to the absence of such a unit in the region.
The recommendations underscored the urgent need for this unit to enhance the response capabilities of these hospitals, in light of the substantial difficulties encountered during the pandemic.
The Intensive Care Unit is expected to bolster hospital response capabilities in the Oeste, an area with growing population numbers.
The investment also aims to alleviate pressure on Lisbon’s central hospitals by minimizing patient transfers from the Oeste region.
The Unidade Local de Saúde do Oeste was awaiting governmental approval for expense distribution to proceed with the project tender.
This health unit comprises the Centro Hospitalar do Oeste, including hospitals in Caldas da Rainha, Peniche, and Torres Vedras, and the healthcare groupings of Oeste Norte and Oeste Sul.
The region serves the municipalities of Caldas da Rainha, Óbidos, Bombarral, Peniche in Leiria, and Lourinhã, Cadaval, Torres Vedras, and Sobral Monte Agraço in Lisbon, with a total population of 242,000, according to 2024 data from the Instituto Nacional de Estatística.
