Montenegro argues that health should not be managed with ideological prejudices – Health

The Prime Minister defended this Sunday, September 15, that health “is not managed with ideological prejudices”, in a video in which he marks the 45 years of the National Health Service (SNS), which he considers “one of the most important achievements of Portuguese democracy”.

“Let no one doubt it, we work every day to improve it. For us, health is not managed with ideological prejudices. For us, the NHS exists to serve people, so that no one remains on an eternal waiting list for a consultation or surgery.. So that everyone can have access to a family doctor”, says Luís Montenegro, in a video message shared on social media.

Montenegro says that the PSD/CDS-PP Government he leads has “worked every day” to improve access to healthcare, “so that pregnant women do not feel helpless” or so that the elderly “have access to dignified care”.

“And we also work to value our health professionals. We know that a lot is demanded of them. Therefore, we have taken measures focused on doctors, nurses, specialized technicians, assistants and the entire constellation of people essential to caring for and saving the lives of all of us”, he says.

In the message, the Prime Minister argues that “only with respected professionals and attractive careers, with concrete investments in resources and equipment and with the collaboration of all systems” is it possible to have a “truly comprehensive SNS with doors open to all”.

“The path is not always easy. But we are here, working and showing our faces. Because we know our priorities well. And we are focused on tomorrow, the next decade and the next 45 years of the NHS”, he concludes.

The current SNS was formally created on September 15, 1979, when the law that created the universal health system in Portugal was published.

In June of this year, this public service had a total of 150,333 workers, when in June 2019, even before the Covid-19 pandemic, there were 130,752, according to the SNS transparency portal.

With its financing assured by the State Budget, the NHS cost around 14 billion euros in 2023, 6.8% more than in the previous year (+ 892.3 ME), according to data from the Public Finance Council.