Government to provide general practitioners to 18,000 Azoreans by the end of the year, announces Vasco Cordeiro
The President of the Government announced that another 18,000 Azoreans will have a general practitioner by the end of this year, taking into account that the number of doctors who are completing their training in this medical speciality at various regional Health Units.
"In this area of health, we have the ambition to provide our Region with more human resources and to have more doctors to better serve the Azorean population," said Vasco Cordeiro. The President of the Government spoke Thursday at the opening of the new Health Unit in the village of Água de Pau in the municipality of Lagoa.
In April this year, nine general practitioners completed their training. They will join another six general practitioners who will conclude their speciality by the end of the year.
This ambition is also reflected health facilities, the President of the Government assured, announcing the works in Santa Cruz das Flores and Lajes do Pico Health Centres, the second phase of the works in Horta Hospital and the new facilities of Horta Health Centre, and the remodelling and expansion of the emergency services of Ponta Delgada Hospital.
In his speech, the President of the Government pointed out that the investment made in partnership with Lagoa City Hall in Água de Pau Health Unit is also an example of what has been done in terms of infrastructure and equipment throughout the Region, representing an investment of 60 million Euros.
In this regard, Vasco Cordeiro pointed out the example of the new facilities of Ponta Delgada and Madalena Health Centres, the expansion and redevelopment of Vila do Porto Health Centre, the completion of the first phase of Block C of Horta Hospital, the works Velas and Calheta Health Centres on São Jorge, which are due to start this year, and the establishment of a partnership with a private entity for the Radiotherapy Centre; the latter is providing a proximity service to the Azorean population.
Moreover, the President of the Government stressed that the work carried out in the last four years was not limited to investment in infrastructures. It is also focused on the reduction of surgery waiting lists, with the creation of mechanisms and solutions that are already producing results as well as of more and better computer tools for health professionals, who can now work more efficiently for the benefit of the patients.
"We have gradually increased the number of consultations, either in Health Units or in Hospitals, registering a growth over 16 percent from 2012 to 2015. We have also increase the daily subsidy for patients receiving care outside the Region, thus introducing fairer support measures to support those who in need," said Vasco Cordeiro.
Furthermore, we have "managed to solve a problem that has plagued the Regional Health Service for some years: when Azorean citizens needed to receive medical care in Mainland Portugal, they had to pay for it through their taxes. This created a situation of situation of first-class and second-class citizens," said the President of the Government.
"The path we have followed is producing results, but we are aware that there is still much to be done in the path that is still ahead of us," stressed Vasco Cordeiro.