“It is very important to donate blood, and political campaigns also serve to set an example,” stated Márcia Henriques to journalists, as she joined other party members in donating blood this morning.
The president of the RIR (Reagir, Incluir, Reciclar) emphasized the role politicians can play as public figures in this cause, urging the public to donate blood.
“Donating blood can save lives, and politicians have a duty, almost an obligation, to encourage the population to do the same,” she stressed, noting the scarcity of awareness campaigns by public figures.
Henriques highlighted that the Portuguese people are very supportive and tend to unite in times of need to donate blood, but she emphasized the importance of making this act “more normal and regular.”
The RIR president also used this campaign event at the Portuguese Institute of Blood and Transplantation to draw attention to “healthcare difficulties,” pointing out that the National Health Service (SNS) suffers from “a lack of management and organization.”
Henriques argued that Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are crucial and that “ideology should not harm public services.”
“There is a lack of organization and management in the scheduling of doctors. As managers, we cannot give vacations and days off simultaneously, which is currently happening with the doctors, leading to frequent closures of emergency departments,” she explained.
The RIR leader provided an example of the nearly more than 200 million euros spent annually by the state on temporary doctors, advocating instead for the hiring of newly graduated general practitioners to strengthen health centers.
In the 2024 legislative elections, RIR emerged as the second-most voted among the smaller parties, securing 26,121 votes (0.40%).
