Urgent Healthcare Crisis in Portugal: Francisco George Calls Situation 'Intolerable'

The Current State of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Francisco George, the former director general of health, has expressed serious concerns regarding the urgent care situation in Portugal, labeling it as "intolerable." In an interview with Antena 1, he emphasized that the closure of these essential services stems from a lack of planning. Despite acknowledging that Portugal has performed well in maternal health, he warned that the current failures could undermine these achievements.

Photo: João Marques - RTP

Avoidable Situation

George believes that the current situation could have been avoided, pointing out that the main issue is the insufficient investment in healthcare professionals. He noted that having new facilities, such as the recently built maternity wards at Maternidade Alfredo da Costa and Hospital de Santa Maria in Lisbon, is of little use without adequate staffing and resources.

Lack of Effective Solutions

Furthermore, George criticized the government's emergency health plan, stating that it has not yielded results and has failed to address the root problems, including the need to invest in medical careers. He claims that the proposed solutions were not implemented in a timely manner, leading to the current crisis in obstetric and gynecological care.