The President of the Government determined today the opening of an urgent inquiry on air evacuations of two patients on the islands of São Jorge and Graciosa that took place on February 2, 2017. The procedures will have to be concluded by August 31.
 
After learning the situation regarding the medical evacuation of a patient from São Jorge Island and another from Graciosa Island, the President of the Government considers that, beyond any doubt, "the detailed and exhaustive clarification of all the circumstances surrounding the situation."
 
In addition to the issues that the Regional Health Inspectorate considers relevant to the full clarification of the circumstances surrounding these medical evacuations, the order issued by the President of the Government also emphasises the relevance of clarifying a series of aspects.
 
The aspects to be clarified concern the chronology of events regarding each patient, from the assessment of their condition on their islands of residence to their arrival in the destination health units as well as the identification of all those involved in these situations and their decisions.
 
Furthermore, this order intends to ensure a rigorous evaluation of the compliance or non-compliance with the procedures established for such medical evacuations, with special emphasis on the situations in which they may not have been met. In the latter case, the inquiry will ascertain the circumstances and the persons involved.