Children’s health in the Algarve “is in danger”. There are days without a pediatrician in the emergency room

South Zone Doctors’ Union warns of a lack of doctors and calls for action from the Minister of Health. There are no pediatricians available for Christmas.

The South Zone Doctors’ Union demanded this Monday the urgent intervention of the Minister of Health due to the lack of pediatric doctors in hospitals in Faro and Portimão, warning of the worsening of the situation in the coming days.

In a statement, the South Zone Doctors Union (SMZS-FNAM) says that the Ministry of Health is responsible for not stopping the shortage of doctors pediatricians at the Local Health Unit (ULS) in the Algarve, leading to limited functioning of pediatric emergencies and birth blocks.

“The health of children in the region is in danger and there are days without a pediatrician in the emergency room, a situation that will worsen at the end of the year”, warns SMZS-FNAM.

Therefore, the Union demanded the urgent intervention of the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, given the lack of pediatric doctors in hospitals in Faro and Portimão, and a meeting with the Board of Directors of ULS do Algarve, for which it did not obtain any response.

“The limitation in the number of pediatricians available has forced the concentration of night emergency functions in a single pediatrician assigned to the pediatric and neonatal intensive care medicine service – a fundamental service for more serious cases –, being responsible for five neonatal intensive care posts, 12 intermediate care posts and three pediatric intensive care posts”, warns the union.

According to the note, this doctor is cumulatively responsible for continuous care in the delivery room, support for newborns hospitalized in the postpartum period, and guidance on pediatric inter-hospital transport.

“In extreme situations, this single doctor may have to choosing between helping a newborn who needs resuscitationreceiving a critical patient in the emergency room or treating a complex illness situation in the ward”, is mentioned in the note.

According to the union, the situation will worsen as pediatric shifts at ULS Algarve They do not have a pediatrician available for the night of the 23rd and during the day and night of the 24th and 25th of December.

“These unprecedented failures seriously compromise the safety and quality of care provided to children in the Algarve, with the Ministry of Health and its inaction to resolve the lack of doctors in the SUS being responsible for this situation”, highlights the union, also warning of the exhaustion and exhaustion of the few pediatricians that still remain.

Therefore, SMZS-FNAM says it is essential that the Ministry of Health and the Board of Directors of ULS Algarve “assume responsibilities in order to guarantee the right to health of children in the region” and “avoid the stampede of the remaining pediatric doctors due to the extreme situation in which they were placed”.