“I challenge Admiral Gouveia e Melo, Dr. Marques Mendes, and Dr. António José Seguro to a debate, wherever and whenever they want, in any format they choose, as long as it’s held in a nationally recognized health institution, open to the media, the public, and all who wish to participate, for a significant discussion on what we aim to do, if elected Presidents of the Republic, regarding health,” stated André Ventura.
Speaking to reporters at Chega’s headquarters in Lisbon, André Ventura argued that “there is no point in talking about consensus, pacts, or debates if they always go in the same direction, throwing money without solving anything.”
“We need a different health model, and I believe the main presidential candidates should discuss this health model,” he asserted.
The presidential candidate expressed readiness to organize this debate but has not yet sent invitations, preferring first to assess whether opponents are available and interested, admitting it may eventually be open to other participants.
“I am not dismissing anyone’s importance. Either we want consensus or we’re going to have political squabbles, with all due respect, and therefore, I think we need a significant consensus from those who, in numbers, polls, values, and public opinion, today represent about 80% of the Portuguese population. This is the pact I want to help materialize,” justified André Ventura.
The candidate for the January 18 presidential elections also considered that “the left will be included” in this debate, notably by António José Seguro, who “is the candidate of the Socialist Party,” and by Gouveia e Melo, who “is also the candidate of the Socialist Party.”
André Ventura also advocated that “the four presidential candidates most likely to reach the second round”, himself included, could “even sign a document committing to promote a health pact if elected President of the Republic, a pact for the people, a pact to solve health problems.”
The leader of Chega also commented on the suggestion from the President of the Republic regarding a political agreement on the role of the SNS, the social sector, and the private sector, to establish a medium-term framework.
Speaking as a presidential candidate, he expressed willingness and considered it necessary to have “a health pact for the people and not for ideology,” based on four fundamental axes.
“On cutting waste and fraud in the health system, political accountability for results, meaning politicians must deliver results in health and if they do not, they should be held accountable, the synergy between the public, private, and social sectors, ensuring there is a set of resources that are coordinated to respond to the people, and the fight against lobbies, corruption, and dark interests in health,” he outlined.
He argued that “it is along these fundamental lines” that political consensus and broad health pacts should be promoted, “not along the same logic as all the other pacts that yielded no results, such as the last Health Basic Law.”
“This pact must be different from all the others made on the left in the last 20 or 30 years in Portugal,” emphasized the candidate.
