“No health system is perfect”, SNS boss insists
The executive director of Portugal’s national health service (SNS) is assuring the public that everyone will be taken care of over the Easter weekend – even with up to 10 A&E units temporarily closed.
“There will be 10 SNS units closed to the public, but they’re still working and patients will be directed to places where they can be seen,” said Álvaro Almeida. “No one will be left without care because the SNS is working like it always has, as a network.”
Speaking in Porto during the 51st anniversary of the Portuguese Oncology Institute, Almeida stressed that the SNS is ready to respond to all needs this weekend.
“The network is active and available. There’s enough capacity to handle it,” he said.
Almeida admitted that the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region is facing more pressure than others, mostly because of staff shortages. “It’s very hard to fill shifts in holiday periods, especially around long weekends,” he explained.
Emergency room strain is mainly due to a lack of specialist doctors, something that happens more often during the summer, the year-end holidays, and extended weekends.
“These difficulties have existed for years and have worsened in the last three, especially in areas like obstetrics,” said the SNS boss, without answering questions about whether doctor overtime limits or poor planning were also to blame.
He also pointed out that this isn’t just a Portugal issue. “All of Europe is dealing with this. No health system is perfect — and the SNS isn’t either. But we’re working to make it better.”
Almeida, who stepped into the role in January, said progress is being made to improve the SNS, stating that “this year is already better than last year, and last year was better than the one before.”
When asked about new job openings for doctors — including 322 spots in high-need areas — he admitted the Lisbon region is the hardest hit but rejected the idea that the distribution of positions was unfair.
“The goal is to get doctors where they’re most needed. That’s where the job openings went,” he said.
On patients who are medically cleared but still stuck in hospitals because of social care delays, Almeida said it’s a bigger issue than just the SNS. “This needs to be addressed together with Social Security — it’s not only a health system problem.”
Which units will be closed?
On Friday, the obstetrics and gynecology emergency rooms at Garcia de Orta Hospital (Almada) and Amadora-Sintra will be closed, along with the pediatric A&E unit in Vila Franca de Xira.
By Saturday, that number climbs to six. Obstetrics and gynecology A&E units will remain closed in Garcia de Orta, Amadora-Sintra, Vila Franca de Xira, and Barreiro. Paediatric units in Vila Franca de Xira and at Beatriz Ângelo Hospital (Loures) will also be shut.
Easter Sunday will be the most impacted, with 10 emergency departments closed — most of them in obstetrics and gynecology. These include hospitals in Garcia de Orta, Amadora-Sintra, Barreiro, Setúbal, Vila Franca de Xira, Santarém, and Abrantes.
Pediatric emergency services will also be closed in Vila Franca de Xira, Loures, and Torres Vedras.
