The executive director of National Health Service (SNS) recognizes the pressure on the system but denies the existence of chaos, justifying the situation with the holiday period and cases of influenza A.
Waiting times in emergency rooms remain very high in the Lisbon area. At Beatriz Ângelo Hospital, in Loures, a terminally ill cancer patient with shortness of breath had to wait 14 hours to be seen by a doctor. The executive director of the SNS recognizes that emergencies are under pressure, but says there is no chaos.
Bruno Freire arrived at Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, in Loures, at 7 pm on Tuesday, with his brother, a terminally ill cancer patient.
Triage was quick, but observation by a doctor took 14 hours. That is, it was only attended to after nine in the morning.
The brother, terminally ill, was in a lot of pain and short of breath. Without professionals to help and assist, they waited all night.
According to the waiting times provided by the National Health Service, patients have to wait many hours to be seen at Hospital Beatriz Ângelo.
For the first observation, an urgent patient will have to wait 4 hours and 56 minutes and a very urgent patient will have to wait 34 minutes.
However, to be seen by a doctor, the waiting time increases to 23 hours and 19 minutes and, in the case of a very urgent patient, to 24 hours.
The executive director of the National Health Service confirms that the NHS is under pressure, but that there is no chaos in emergency services.
Even so, until Thursday, seven hospital emergencies will be closed, the vast majority of which are obstetrics and gynecology. The scenario is similar on the first day of the year.
Álvaro Almeida explains that, in addition to the demands of influenza A, many professionals are on vacation at this time of year.
Reason that justifies the absence of doctors during holidays, at the end of the year and in August.
