“We will not close the maternity ward. We are studying the referral network for emergencies to ensure safety for pregnant women and babies,” stated Ana Paula Martins during the inauguration ceremony of the Health Campus of Misericórdia de Vila Franca de Xira.
The minister mentioned that they will “certainly have to share resources,” as there are not enough doctors to cover the obstetric emergency shifts in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, with “continuous closures of four to six emergency units” nationally, a situation that, she said, “does not reassure us, especially in obstetrics.”
She also noted that, often, these closures in obstetrics and pediatrics occur in Vila Franca de Xira.
“It is a huge concern for us, and I won’t hide it, but solutions need to be found based on the study conducted by expert committees, among professionals, management boards, and in dialogue with local authorities,” she argued, emphasizing that “the red line is the safety of the pregnant woman and the baby.”
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the ceremony, the Mayor of Vila Franca de Xira, Fernando Paulo Ferreira, welcomed the minister’s assurance of keeping the maternity ward open.
“That was the commitment we were expecting from the Minister. It was important that she said it, although she has indicated, as is known and she herself admitted, that there is a significant challenge for the Ministry of Health to respond to local healthcare services,” the mayor stated.
In this respect, he noted, “the idea remains regarding the need to reopen the obstetric and pediatric emergency services at Vila Franca de Xira Hospital at night and on weekends.”
Fernando Paulo Ferreira mentioned that this is an issue that “soon” the five mayors will discuss with the minister, once the study is “in her hands.”
