“Retrogression policy”: users criticize the closure of Barreiro’s obstetrics emergency department

The Barreiro Users Commission criticized this Wednesday the decision of the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, who announced on Tuesday the , as part of the entry into operation in March of the new regional emergency for the Setúbal Peninsula.

Antonieta Bodziony, from the Barreiro Users Commission, speaks of a “retrogression policy” that ignores the needs of users and guarantees to fight for the reopening of the unit.

“Concentrating emergencies in a single hospital is not viable, especially because the Barreiro hospital has around 250,000 users from four municipalities. It makes no sense to concentrate emergencies at the Garcia de Orta hospital. Ana Paula Martins does not have the right to do so, because she did not consult users and entities. She cannot decide, lightly, to close a hospital. We do not accept this policy of regression, of defrauding the National Health Service”, he states. Antoinette Bodziony.

“No conditions”

“Barreiro’s emergency room will close because it is unable to remain open”, stated Ana Paula Martins, last Tuesday, during the parliamentary health committee.

The minister told deputies that health professionals at Hospital do Barreiro were subjected to an “inhumane effort” when the three obstetric emergencies on the Setúbal Peninsula operated on a rotation model, due to the lack of doctors to ensure the functioning of all services.

Ana Paula Martins also highlighted that the closure of the Barreiro emergency room does not mean that the obstetrics and gynecology service, which has “highly” differentiated areas, “will stop doing its work and that scheduled births will no longer be carried out” in that hospital.

“Babies will continue to be born in Barreiro, obviously. Not all births are in emergencies”, highlighted the minister.

With LUSA