Council of Ministers of September 19, 2024
Article translated from the Portuguese Republic Website
photo: Diana Quintela
The Government has declared a Day of National Mourning for this Friday, September 20, announced the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, at the press conference following the Council of Ministers , in Lisbon.
The decision expresses, on behalf of the Portuguese people, the “deep regret and solidarity with the tragic victims of the major fires that affected Portugal, the Centre and North of the country, during this week”. The Minister of the Presidency highlighted the work of the firefighters who fell in combat, who “gave their lives for our lives”.
António Leitão Amaro also thanked everyone who is still fighting the fires and guaranteed a quick response in the recovery and support for the affected populations, including companies, local authorities, fire brigades and all those who suffered most closely from the damage caused by these fires.
Health
The Minister of the Presidency announced that a Resolution of the Council of Ministers was approved, which gives access to general and family medicine to 75 thousand users who, until now, do not have a family doctor.
The expansion of access to healthcare, which is an objective set out in the Health Emergency and Transformation Plan, is being achieved through this decision which, in the immediate term, ensures that these 75,000 adults, young people and children can access primary healthcare in general and family medicine through the Cascais Hospital – Dr. José de Almeida Hospital –, which is part of the National Health Service (SNS) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The measure involves patients and users of the Local Health Unit (ULS) of Amadora-Sintra and the ULS of Western Lisbon.
This greater access to family doctors will involve an investment of 6 million euros by the end of the year. According to the assessment by the Technical Project Monitoring Unit (UTAP), it will mean a price reduction of 24 euros per patient compared to if they were served by other alternatives, the Minister said.
This new solution will be operational until the end of 2024 and its extension will depend on the assessment of access for these patients, cost savings and quality of access. This legislation protects the existing capacity in the other SNS units in this territorial area, since Cascais Hospital will not be able to recruit doctors who have been linked to the other two ULSs in the last three months.
Read the original article here: https://www.portugal.gov.pt/pt/gc24/comunicacao/noticia?i=governo-decreta-dia-de-luto-nacional-em-homenagem-as-vitimas-dos-incendios