The Regional Secretary for Health stated in Santa Cruz that “the movement of medical professionals has already been resumed following the return of normality in inter-island travel," adding that “the Flores Health Unit has ensured for this month the provision of Cardiology, Surgery Vascular and Imaging consultations with all safety conditions." 

Teresa Machado Luciano spoke on the sidelines of a visit to Flores Health Unit, pointing out that "the movement of specialists to the islands without hospital has been increasingly relevant." In 2019, 1,142 consultations and 1,716 exams were carried out under this system. 

"Last year, the Paediatric follow-up of Flores children on their island became a reality, thanks to the movement of specialists, with 113 consultations already carried out," stressed the government official. 

For 2020, 17 different specialty consultations are planned, 11 more than in 2019, including Neurology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Paediatrics, Pulmonology, Psychiatry and Urology, with an estimated total of 1,010 consultations, 111 more than in the previous year. 

The Secretary for Health also noted that “telemedicine played a crucial role in the context of the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus,” guaranteeing the maintenance of consultations in the areas of Dermatology, carried out under a health agreement, while Psychiatry and Nephrology consultations are provided by specialists from Horta Hospital In turn, Pain Management, Rheumatology and Endocrinology consultations are carried out by specialists from the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital in Ponta Delgada. 
 
“In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the activity of Flores Island Health Unit had been suspended but has already returned to normal in late May,” said the Regional Secretary for Health. As she added, “Dental consultations will resume in July, as all preventive measures have been implemented to reinforce the safety of patients and professionals." 

The Flores Island Health Unit, which has 59 professionals, carried out 1,109 medical consultations in April and 1,333 in May.