On the day that local newspaper, JM, announced in its print edition – Chaos at the A& E Department of the Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital remains unresolved, the Regional Health Department issued a contrary statement, confirming that services were running normally and everything was under control.
This morning, JM wrote that the A & E department was floundering and despite reassurances from ministers and senior health professionals, the standard of care was at breaking point as patients were left in corridors for hours before being seen or admitted to a ward. Moreover, this is an everyday occurrence with no solution in sight.
However, in a note sent to the media, the Regional Secretariat of Health and Civil Protection, Pedro Ramos, points out that “in the last 10-days, the Emergency Service of the Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital recorded a daily average of 346 users in need of health care. Resources have always been adjusted according to demand and user needs.” He further states that “the operation of the Emergency Service of the Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital remains normalised and controlled, as already mentioned by the service director, Rita Vieira. Even and depending on the characteristics of users in the urgent context, mostly elderly, it was necessary to increase the number of beds and human resources, to ensure a response with quality and safety.”
His statement was borne out by a series of photographs showing empty corridors and a peaceful working environment, quite contrary to the conditions some health professionals say they are working under.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
