Regional Government's permanent and growing investment in Regional Health Service ensured good response to this pandemic situation
The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs highlighted at the Legislative Assembly in Horta "the steady growth of investment in the Regional Health Service over recent years," which "has ensured a good response to this pandemic situation" in the Azores.
"It has been stated here that there is a chronic underfunding and disinvestment in the Regional Health Service. However, reality belies these statements. It only takes an analysis of the figures annually transferred to the Regional Health Service or the number of health professionals in hospitals and island health units or the new infrastructures built on all islands of the archipelago to realise that these statements do not correspond to the truth," said Berto Messias. The government official spoke, by video conference, during the debate on a political statement made by the PSD/Açores.
According to Berto Messias, "saying this turns out to be a contradiction in itself, that is, one praises health professionals, the conditions of the Regional Health Service and the responses that have been provided and, simultaneous, one criticises an alleged disinvestment that, if it existed, would not allow these same responses."
"We have an annual increase in funding, in addition to more doctors, more nurses, more diagnostic and therapeutic technicians, more orderly assistants, better infrastructures and better equipment. This is undeniable and indisputable. Does this mean that everything is fine and that there are no problems? Obviously not, we have done a lot but there is still a lot to do and the challenges are many in this sector, both in addressing the pandemic that plagues us and in the efforts that must continue to be intensified in all non-COVID-19 areas covered by the Regional Service of Health,” said Berto Messias.