Investments on six islands to improve access of Azorean population to health, says Vasco Cordeiro
The President of the Government highlighted today the investments of nearly 15 million Euros in regional hospitals and health centres with the aim of creating better conditions to ensure the access of the Azorean population to health care.
"There is an overall investment of 15 million Euros under implementation in Regional Health Service infrastructures on six islands of the archipelago. Our goal is very clear: to provide Azoreans with better conditions for the access to health care," stated Vasco Cordeiro after visiting the upgrading works of Santa Cruz das Flores Health Centre.
According to Vasco Cordeiro, who spoke on the second day of the statutory visit to Flores Island, the Government intends, with this amount, to prepare the entire structure of the Regional Health Service to better "respond to the needs of Azoreans in this area.
In this context, Vasco Cordeiro mentioned the completion of upgrading works of Corvo Health Unit as well as the ongoing works for the redevelopment of Santa Cruz das Flores Health Centre, the expansion of Horta Hospital and the construction of the new Horta Health Centre. Moreover, there are also interventions taking place in Lajes do Pico, Velas and Calheta Health Centres, and in Ponta Delgada Hospital.
Speaking to journalists, the President of the Government stressed that, in addition to the investment in infrastructures, there are other measures in process of being implemented, such as the new model on the movement of specialists to the islands without hospital, which has recently entered into force.
"We are evaluating this new model in order to improve some aspect if necessary, especially with regard to the movement of specialists or patients," said Vasco Cordeiro.
The redevelopment works of Santa Cruz das Flores Health Centre, an investment of about 1.5 million Euros, will reformulate the patient care circuits and reorganise emergency services through the implementation of a triage area and the reorganisation of inpatient care areas.