“There cannot be deaths of people relying on the health service without someone being held accountable while the Government blames everyone but itself,” stated André Ventura in Loulé, Algarve.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to the Algarve municipality in the Faro district, the leader of Chega questioned how many more people “have to die without assistance” or how many helicopters must be incapacitated “for the minister to realize she is responsible for the country’s condition?”
“We have a Government today that believes responsibility lies with everyone except those who actually have political responsibility,” he emphasized.
André Ventura mentioned observing the Health Minister “accept responsibility” from others for INEM’s service failures, births outside hospitals and maternity units, and “now even for information failures.” He remarked, “There’s only one person who never assumes responsibility: the Health Minister.”
When asked if the “demand for responsibility” signifies a “call for the Health Minister Ana Paula Martins’ resignation,” the Chega leader was evasive in his response to journalists. He merely stated that the minister “should assume the political responsibility” for the state of healthcare.
The Chega leader further accused the President of the Republic of “disappearing” and failing to demand answers from Minister Ana Paula Martins.
“For several years, we witnessed a President of the Republic who criticized and demanded accountability from other Health Ministers,” he recalled, citing the resignation of former Health Minister Marta Temido.
“Dr. Marta Temido resigned following a death in a hospital, and now we have a President of the Republic who has disappeared because the Government is of his political color and no longer feels the need to demand accountability,” he argued.
Ventura also stated that “the Prime Minister must assume responsibility, but the President of the Republic must also hold the Government accountable on this matter.”
“We have a disastrous healthcare system, falling apart; the Government plans to cut back on healthcare in this State Budget, and people continue to die. If the President of the Republic thinks this is not a reason to call the Government’s attention, I honestly don’t know what would be,” he concluded.
André Ventura revealed that his trip to the Algarve coincides with the inauguration of several elected Chega officials in various municipalities as a way to thank for the growth and victories in local and legislative elections.
“I hadn’t had the chance to be here and thank for the results we achieved and start preparing for the upcoming elections, which we will have very soon, to win the Algarve again, and I’m sure that will happen,” he indicated.
