The Minister of Health was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of iBET Biofarma’s new building in Oeiras.
Considering the “differences of opinion”, “normal”, Fernando Pizarro demanded calm, the alleged challenge to the work at the maternity hospital in Santa Maria that was originally from the departure of officials, including the service director.
“The responsibility for the plan lies with the NHS Executive Board, articulated with institutions and professionals. We have to gather as much consensus as possible, we have to listen to all opinions, but at a certain point it is really necessary to make decisions, if things are not moving forward,” he explained. , remembering that business requires that the maternity hospital be closed for a few months.
In the meantime, Santa Maria users will be taken to the São Francisco Xavier Hospital, “a modern building with beautiful conditions”.
When necessary, the minister added, protocols have been established with “three large private hospitals” in Lisbon to receive pregnant women. “Measures have been taken so that things can go safely,” said Fernando Pizarro.
“What we need is to strengthen dialogue, decision-making and move forward”, he said, while ensuring “what is necessary (…) for Portuguese women, especially pregnant women”, that “the SNS continues their service with the usual quality and security”.
The official rejected the allegation that the director of the service had been dismissed for “crime of opinion”. Fernando Pizarro said the exact opposite. The minister stated that he remains “available for dialogue with institutions and professionals”, while respecting the “degree of administrative independence” of each hospital.
“This is a stage in which the chains of dialogue within the hospital itself are far from collapsing,” Santa Maria stressed.
“I am confident that dialogue will come after this period of conflict,” said the government official, preferring to keep the dismissal’s explanations under wraps, despite her knowledge of this, in order to “contribute to the dialogue.”
Regarding the public tender for the replacement of the General Director of SNS, Graça Freitas, Fernando Pizarro confirmed that he remained on the sidelines “so as not to interfere” in the course of the process.
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