Algarve MP, Cristóvão Norte, has questioned the Health Minister about the increasingly parlous state of the region’s health service and the planned reduction in the health budget allocation for 2019.
The Social Democrat MP pointed out that the State Budget 2019 has set a budget for the University Hospital Center of the Algarve that is down €19 million on the current year, a 4.2% reduction.
According to the Government's budget proposal for the Algarve's health service, there will be a reduction of €2.2 million in medicines and a €1 million reduction in clinical materials, among other cost savings.
Cristóvão Norte, in his address to the Minister of Health, considered that "the main indicators are worse: 103% more complaints, a significant fall in clinical output that occurs year after year and an increase in waiting times for consultations. What does the Government do? It reduces the budget by €19 million, it does not have a decisive policy for fixing the human resource shortage and the new hospital for the Algarve again comes in 2nd when five new national hospitals are announced, once again.”
Norte lists the current waiting time statistics:
- Stomatology - Faro Hospital - 2 years and 3 months
- Orthopedics - Faro Hospital - 4 years and 4 months
- Urology - Hospital of Portimão - 2 years / Hospital of Faro - 3 years and 3 months
As for the easing of income tax, a measure contained in the 2019 Budget, the PSD MP questioned whether it was worth people receiving another 5, 10 or 15 euros per month when many have to go private if they want a medical appointment, meaning they may have to borrow the necessary money or receive no consultation.
Comments
€19 MILLION!
Should we be transported to our 'next-door' neighbour then?