The Regional Secretary for Health announced that the Health Units of the islands of Santa Maria, Flores and Corvo, which did not register any positive case of COVID-19, resumed their activities today, as well as the Health Units of the islands of Terceira, from Faial, Pico and São Jorge. 

Teresa Machado Luciano spoke at the Legislative Assembly, through video conference, stressing that the Health Units of the islands of Graciosa and São Miguel will open on May 17 and 22, respectively. 

The Secretary for Health added that “the provision of health care was maintained during these three months, always responding to the needs of all Azoreans," pointing out that, “39,980 primary health care consultations were carried out in the Region between April 1 and April 25." 

Regarding the Regional Immunisation Programme, 11,938 vaccines were administered between February and April. 

“The three regional hospitals also maintained their activity, having established different areas for non-COVID-19 users and guaranteed the safety of health care provision. Overall, they provided 68,443 specialty consultations, 12,881 Day Hospital sessions, 626 inpatient surgeries and 169,670 outpatient exams during the months of February, March and April,” added Teresa Machado Luciano. 

The Regional Secretary for Health also revealed that “hospitals and health units have already prepared their respective plans, which will be developed by the boards of directors in accordance with the specificities and needs of the community they know so well.”

According to Teresa Machado Luciano, the resumption of health care services will have as guiding axes: "the clinical prioritisation, the reallocation of material and human resources, the reorganisation of teams, schedules and spaces, and the promotion of telehealth."
 
As for primary health care, “teleconsultations will be maintained whenever possible, prior appointment will take precedence and priority will be given to face-to-face consultations for priority groups, namely the surveillance of diabetes and hypertension," said the government official. 

In terms of hospital activity, the main priority will be the resumption surgical activity, through the CIRURGE and Health Voucher programmes. 

With regard to cancer prevention, the Secretary for Health stated that the screening programmes in the Azores will be resumed, according to the schedule for lifting restrictions and restarting health care services on different islands.

Teresa Machado Luciano also stressed that School Health activities will be resumed, with the introduction of a module on safety measures and actions to be taken in eventual situations of pandemic crisis. 

In the scope of preventing and controlling dependencies, the surveillance of patients will be maintained through systematic telephone contact by the Intervention Teams working on Additive Behaviours and Dependencies, as a complement to face-to-face consultations.