The Association of Municipalities of the Algarve (AMAL) announced the monitoring of negotiations between the Regional Health Administration (ARS) of the Algarve and the eight municipalities that have not yet signed the transfer of competencies in the field of health.
In a statement, AMAL justifies the decision by the need to “overcome the impasse in the process” and this means that half of the Algarve’s 16 municipalities have not yet accepted the transfer of competencies in this area.
“The transfer of competencies in the field of health is something that has raised many concerns for the mayors of the Algarve region, and with the aim of helping to resolve the impasse in which the process is currently going through, the international community will follow the negotiations,” read the note.
According to AMAL, the decision was made at a meeting attended by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ARS / Algarve, Paolo Morgado, who ensured “every possible cooperation and assistance” on the part of the trusteeship in carrying out the transfer of competencies in this region.
During the meeting, the president of the Amal Association, Antonio Pena, noted that “the mayors have unanimously assumed the transfer of competencies and their implementation on the ground, not least because they advocate that they should be exercised locally.”
However, regarding remittances in the health field, “this issue has caused a lot of headaches, particularly with regard to three very specific issues: human resources, financing of maintenance services and rehabilitation of health centres.” Health and Extensions”.
As stated in the memo, Olhão Mayor also adds that these are values ”much less than the normal needs for the proper operation of health services” and should be adjusted according to current realities.
The ARS/Algarve chief, in turn, said he understands the mayors’ concerns, especially since the process is “extremely complex and each municipality has its own characteristics,” but stressed that they must be overcome.
Paolo Morgado stressed that “what is being defended and intended is that no municipality will be harmed in this process of transferring competencies, and that this does not mean financial burdens that may burden municipal budgets.”
According to that official, the next step is to discuss all the needs and concerns of the eight municipalities, in the respective monitoring committees, so that together they can “think about solutions to break the deadlock and reach consensus in the process”.
Decisions made for these municipalities will also be applied to the remaining municipalities that have already accepted the transfer of competences in the field of health.
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