“It is inconceivable for a pregnant woman to travel from town to town to give birth. Obstetrics is, indeed, one of the critical points at this local health unit (ULSA – Unidade Local de Saúde da Arrábida). We are on the side of solutions, and therefore, we presented a proposal a few days ago for the coordination of medical emergencies, notably in response to obstetrics, pediatrics, and other specialties,” said the PS leader.
“It is very important to know what the Government is doing to implement this proposal for the coordination of medical emergencies, particularly during critical periods like the one we are entering now, in summer, and later during the preparation for winter,” added José Luís Carneiro, speaking to journalists after a meeting with the administration of ULSA, which includes the São Bernardo Hospital in Setúbal.
The PS leader also noted that the number of people without a family doctor in the region has doubled, “which shows that the National Health Service (SNS), contrary to what was promised by the Government, is not able to meet the needs.”
“I am concerned about what is happening particularly in the Setúbal Peninsula and in the Greater Lisbon and Tagus Valley region,” emphasized the socialist leader.
José Luís Carneiro also mentioned the proposal presented by the PS for the creation of “a unit for coordinating efforts, specifically between the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Administration, and also the Ministry of National Defense, so that, within the scope of National Civil Protection, it is possible to effectively respond and mobilize the available means to the detected needs in the territory.”
“What we are witnessing is entering the peak of summer, once again, a year later, without a plan for managing hospital emergencies, particularly in critical areas, such as obstetrics,” he underlined, also mentioning that the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) is a territory with “millions of people who turn to the National Health Service and do not find a predictable, secure response.”
When asked by journalists about the President of the Republic’s decision to send the amendments to the immigration law to the Constitutional Court, José Luís Carneiro noted that the presidential decision confirmed his earlier concerns about “a serious democratic violation that was committed in the Assembly of the Republic by AD and Chega.”
