“It is already in the north of the country, in the health center of Amarante, and it has been interrupted by the epidemic and has not been resumed again. We are working to resume this and, based on this response, we are organizing the possibility in other places, (…) in primary health care, To solve a problem of a certain proximity and a certain distance”, said Manuel Pizarro.
The Minister, who was speaking in the Parliamentary Health Committee, where he was heard today at the request of the Left, the Free, the Liberal Initiative and the PCP bloc on access to voluntary termination of pregnancy, noted, however, that it is necessary “to a large extent” to respect the will of women in terms of relates to where you want to use this service.”
He gave as an example the situation in the Alentejo and Algarve regions, where regardless of whether or not there is access to IVG, women seek it in other regions of the country.
“Perhaps people want more private and modest conditions,” he added.
During the hearing, Manuel Pizarro said he remains open to dialogue about the legal framework for voluntary termination of pregnancy, but warned that such discussion must not turn the “success story of society and the National Health Service” into failure.
The official defended the need to “carefully examine what is happening in the health units,” noting that there are very different cases.
“I can admit that in one health unit or another there is no access to IVG, as long as it is clear how women are instructed to have easy access to IVG through SNS,” the minister said, explaining that he also admits that there are hospitals whose human resources are very limited and cannot Have teams to perform this action.
