The President of the Government announced an investment of 2.5 million Euros in the rehabilitation and expansion of health centres of Calheta and Velas, São Jorge Island, which will provide São Jorge islanders with better access to health care.
 
Vasco Cordeiro spoke at the presentation of the remodelling and expansion project of Calheta Health Centre, an investment of nearly 1.1 million Euros that is already at an advanced stage regarding the selection of the company to carry out the work.
 
Under the statutory visit to São Jorge, which began today, the President of the Government stressed that these public investments in infrastructures, similar to what happens on other islands, demonstrate of importance of the decisions made by the Azoreans with regard to the Regional Health Service.
 
"We have a Regional Health Service that should be a source of pride for all Azoreans," Vasco Cordeiro said, considering that there are still challenges to overcome in this sector, which still require hard work and efforts so that the "fulfilment of this right meets the wishes of all Azoreans."
 
"But that should not make us forget what we have achieved over these 40 years of Autonomy, which is precisely the fact of having a Regional Health Service that, despite all the challenges it has faced, should be a source of pride for all Azoreans, "stressed Vasco Cordeiro.
 
According to him, the Government's work is not limited to the issue of infrastructures insofar as it covers a series of measures intended to promote the access to health care and provide increasingly better responses to the Azorean population.
 
In this regard, Vasco Cordeiro pointed out the example of the response that has been given by São Jorge Health Unit, as evidenced by more than 12 thousand consultations carried out in 2015 compared to the previous year.
 
As for the provision of speciality consultations on this island, there has been a considerable increase in the number of travels and specialities available with regard to 2014
 
In order to achieve these goals, the President of the Government also highlighted the commitment and effort of health professionals across the archipelago, who give practical expression to the conditions created for the Regional Health Service.
 
In addition to the general overhaul of emergency, consultations and physiotherapy services, the interventions in Calheta Health Centre will create a physical link between the two existing buildings. This translates into better coordination and operation of the whole unit, thus facilitating the access of users to all services provided by this health unit.