After stating that the President of Madeira’s comments that the Regional Government intends to sell the Dr Nélio Mendonça Hospital once the new hospital is opened a ‘Carnival joke,’ the People’s Monarchy Party (PPM) has gone on to propose that the building be used as a senior citizen care facility. They also believe that the Hospital dos Marmeleiros should transfer its services to Cruz de Carvalho, be transferred to the Diocese of Funchal, and transformed into a drug addiction facility and homeless centre.
Following on from this, the People, Animals, and Nature Party (PAN) jumped on the bandwagon. They went on to admit that they were surprised that Miguel Albuquerque is intending to sell the hospital building after the completion of the new University Hospital of Madeira, asking if the President had already found a buyer for the site?
The party went on to say that they found it regrettable that in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, there are not enough facilities for the elderly, and many end up living and dying alone due to a lack of resources. They believe that the hospital should be turned into a state-run and owned home for the elderly, which would be managed by the Social Security Institute of Madeira.
This new home would respond to the huge waiting list that exists for home vacancies, argues the party, which also believes that a state-run home would alleviate the problems faced by many families who are unable to adequately nurse elderly family members at home. The problem, they say will increase with the economic crisis making matters difficult for both the elderly and those who care for them.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
