The Regional Directorate for Health clarifies that the situation regarding the transfer of minor surgeries from health centres to the Ponta Delgada Hospital is solved. These surgeries will be performed in a hospital environment with better hygiene and safety conditions.

This situation was the result of a miscommunication; both entities were immediately contacted in order to solve the coordination between regional health units and ensure patients that they will not be affected.

The Chairwoman of the Administration Board of the Ponta Delgada Hospital is already organising, in conjunction with the directors of the departments concerned, the hospital's response to the surgeries that will no longer be performed at Health Centres.

The Regional Directorate for Health has assured the availability of operating rooms and human resources to carry out these surgeries at the Ponta Delgada Hospital.

However, it was always presumed that, if necessary, the retired doctors who performed surgeries at the Ponta Delgada Health Centre could be available to perform them in a hospital environment with better hygiene and safety conditions.