Antônio Cotrim / LUSA
The Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo (left), with the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins (right)
João Pedro Carvalho, son of the president of Santo António, was appointed in 2024 to the office of Secretary of State for Health Ana Povo, who worked as a doctor at the same hospital.
The Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povoappointed João Pedro Carvalho to his cabinet, son of the president from the Santo António Local Health Unit (ULSSA), in Porto. The governor worked as a surgical doctor in the same hospital unit before joining the Government, and her employment is currently suspended.
João Pedro Carvalho acts as coach financial specialist since June 17, 2024, earning a gross monthly salary of 4152 euros.
When asked about the appointment, Ana Povo defended that all her appointments “were always guided by merit and competence” and that João Pedro Carvalho was chosen “after evaluating his CV for the positions and after an interview carried out by my chief of staff at the time”.
On Portal da Justiça, João Pedro Carvalho also appears as a partner in a company in the health sector, ML&JP – Maria Luís & João Pedro, dedicated to neuroradiology. Records indicated that the expert technician was company partnertogether with his mother, a doctor in this specialty.
However, both Ana Povo and João Pedro Carvalho clarified that this ceased to be a member in May 2024about a month before the appointment, having transferred his share to a family member. João Pedro Carvalho also guarantees that the company has never signed contracts with public entities nor is it involved in any provision of services to the State.
The governor assured that “nothing was hidden” in the process and that all functions previously performed by the nominee are included in the official order. Still, the appointment orders only state that João Pedro Carvalho was “manager at ML&JP” between 2016 and 2024, omitting the full name of the company.
