More and more Portuguese resident in areas near Spain are going to private consultations and doing medical treatments across the border, where there are more available doctors and service is faster.
The lack of doctors, the difficulty in accessing specialty consultations and the delay in being able to take exams or treatments are the main reasons that lead residents of Raian areas to seek medical assistance in Spain.
Residents in Elvas, in the district of Portalegre, often move to Badajoz (Spain) for the most varied reasons and health-related issues are no exception, because there are lack of doctors in that region.
Eurico Branca, resident in that Raian city, located a few kilometers from Badajoz, told Lusa that she subscribed to the whole family, when her daughter was born about two years ago, health insurance in Portugal and can use it in Spain .
“Here next [Badajoz] We have pediatricians with all the valences and we are going to abroad. It has nothing to do with the speed [facilidade em agendar consultas] It is the question of not existing [pediatras] In the area, the difference is between service and there is no service, ”he said.
For Eurico Branca, it is a “privilege” to live next to Spain and be able to use insurance with a policy that includes extent to the foreigner.
“But regardless of insurance, I always went to Spain, naturally,” he said.
More than 300 kilometers, in Freixo de Espada à Cinta, in the Bragança district, taxi driver Francisco Marques told the one who is asked to transport people to a clinic in Spain, because everything is faster for complementary exams. diagnosis or a medical appointment.
“What people tell me on the trip is that they are more distressed and want to have medical exams faster as well as an appointment. After taking the exams, bring us to the family doctor, saving time, as within a week everything can be resolved, ”he explained.
This taxi driver also added that “people in his county can walk about 200 kilometers of taxi to do these medical exams faster.”
Since 36 -year -old Celso Altuos has discovered the clinic in Xinzo de Limia, Spain, 77 kilometers from the Selhariz village where he lives, near Vidago, in the municipality of Chaves, Vila Real district, which will periodically make a ‘Check-up’.
For about 120 euros does all the necessary and waiting analyzes and exams.
According to it, it is precisely the time savings the main motivation for this travel to the Spanish clinic. “It’s all done at the same place and at the same time,” he said.
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