Outbreaks in residential institutions for the elderly tend not to go away, and to resolve this problem, the tendency has been to call health professionals from the public sector, who are in health centers. It happened, for example, at the home in Reguengos de Monsaraz, or at Barreiro’s home. Most institutions do not hire doctors or nurses – they are not obliged to do so – and when a positive case is detected, professionals from the National Health System are called. And doctors now accuse the Government of embezzling resources, delaying consultations and diagnostics.
In April, an order was published stating that “the clinical follow-up of covid-19 patients who live in a residential establishment for the elderly and whose clinical situation does not require hospitalization is monitored, daily, by ACES health professionals in the respective area. intervention, in conjunction with the hospital in the reference area “.
However, doctors understand that there must be a clarification of the understanding of the law, since the Collective Labor Contract provides for a workplace – which in this case is the health center and not a home. “Doctors have their workplace, which is the health center, and the health center is not a home,” said Jorge Roque da Cunha, secretary general of the Independent Doctors Union (SIM), adding that “doctors they cannot be sent to another hospital, they cannot be sent to another health center outside the municipality, they cannot be sent to work for a football club “. SIM accuses the Ministry tutored by Marta Feared of lack of dialogue with health professionals, and the Ministry of Health, “instead of talking to doctors, made an order that intends to change something that is collective contracting, which is an April achievement “.
In the case of Barreiro’s home, doctors say this was a flagrant situation, since the institution has a doctor, but he was on vacation when the outbreak was identified. “The employer is the one who authorizes the vacation. I didn’t have a vacation until July because the boss, the State, said not to go,” explained Jorge Roque da Cunha. “Having this attitude, the Government will be responsible for an increase in mortality, for the reduction of the identification of cancers and for a greater number of strokes, because there is less control”, added the Independent Union of Doctors.
Criticism multiplies among doctors and the National Association of Family Health Units also defended this week that a clarification of the law is needed. In response, the Secretary of State for Health, António Lacerda Sales, stressed this Thursday that doctors in health centers will continue to provide care in homes whenever necessary. “We have a dispatch that is decisive, Despacho 49/59 de Abril, which defines the assistance lines for users of residential structures for the elderly, who do not need to be hospitalized, by the doctors of the Health Center Groups (ACES) ) “.
This Friday, the Minister of Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, told Eco that 18 rapid intervention brigades will be created to reinforce the human resources of homes. At issue is the creation of several teams composed of doctors, nurses and assistants who will be managed by the Portuguese Red Cross, under the tutelage of Social Security.
Positive cases increase again to July levels
The epidemiological bulletin released yesterday registered 401 new cases of infection – a new increase that has been a trend in recent days. You have to go back until July 10 to find such a large number of new infections. And there was another worsening: The number of hospitalized patients increased. This Friday there were 17 more people hospitalized compared to the previous day, totaling 334 hospitalized. In the intensive care units there are 38 people.
These figures follow the growing trend that has been observed in Europe in recent days – Spain, France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom, for example, have registered hundreds of cases every day. Spain this Friday recorded close to ten thousand new cases of infection.
Covid Stayaway application now available
Anyone using the Android operating system can now download the Covid Stayaway tracking application. The application was developed by INESC TEC, in partnership with the Government, and was announced five months ago. The application is free and it is not necessary to enter any personal data or contact. For the rest of the operating systems, the application should arrive next week.
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