Portugal’s nurses union (SEP) has urged the government to “immediately hire more nurses for the Algarve” following recent efforts by health officials to boost the number of doctors in the region.
In a statement, SEP’s Faro delegation asked: “Does the health sector only need doctors?”
In a nutshell, the nurses want the state to show it is as committed to solving the Algarve’s shortage of nurses as it is to increasing its number of doctors.
If the government fails to do so, strikes like the one scheduled for all of Portugal on July 28 and 29 will only become more frequent, SEP warns.
The union also asks if the government is going to “unblock” procedures for the hiring of nurses following recent negotiations with SEP.
The union adds that the different treatment shown to health professionals is one of the “reasons Algarve nurses will take part in the scheduled strike”, called originally to demand a 35-hour week for all nurses, without exception.
michael.bruxo@algarveresident.com
