The Regional Secretary for Health stated on São Jorge that the intervention for the renewal and expansion of Calheta Health Centre, an investment over 1.2 million Euros, will "provide all São Jorge islanders with better access conditions to health care."
 
Luís Cabral spoke at the signing of contract for the implementation of this work, noting that the intervention is intended to "facilitate the access to care and provide increasingly better responses to the Azorean people in health."
 
In his speech, he stressed that the rehabilitation of facilities will adapt them to the full operation of Family Health Units, which will promote an increase in various professional areas, such as speech and occupational therapies, psychology and nutrition, among others.
 
The intervention comprises different separate operations in technical terms: remodelling, expansion, and redesign and renewal. The solution found for this building will create a single indoor passageway in the unit that will render its coordination and operation more effective.
 
According to the Regional Secretary, the main intervention concerns the closure of the current physiotherapy service, changes the functions of some areas and the renewal of the accounting space. It also involves the general overhaul of emergency and consultation services.
 
Luís Cabral added that the renewal of inpatient services includes changes in the functions of some areas "with the aim of providing these services with more support spaces and sanitary facilities."
 
The Secretary for Health also highlighted the importance of "creating a new building for physiotherapy services, with access to inpatient services and administrative services; it also has direct access to the outside."
 
The contract signed today with the company AFA Açores has a completion period of 12 months.