Opting for modular hospital "allowed us to respond with dignity and high capacity," says José Manuel Bolieiro - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, accompanied by the Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, attended today the opening of the Emergency Department Divino Espírito Santo Hospital (HDES) in its modular configuration.

The hospital's Clinical Board, the Nursing Management and the Board of Directors also joined in the visit.

José Manuel Bolieiro took the opportunity to offer words of "pride" in the Regional Health Service and all the professionals at the hospital, who, "in the face of such a serious situation" as the May 4 fire, responded with "commitment and dedication."

"The commitments made by the Regional Government were based first and foremost on a technical, scientific, expert and critical basis," said José Manuel Bolieiro.

He added: "All the solutions found were appropriate for the severity of the problem and an optimised response capacity, with the resources available. This modular option has allowed us to respond with dignity and high capacity."

The general emergency department has two screening stations and 16 to 20 observation rooms, in addition to an emergency room, an isolation room and a nursing office. The paediatric emergency room will have two medical offices and eight to ten observation spaces.

The project was presented on July 17 to political parties with parliamentary representation.

The structure will be made up of various facilities, including a General Emergency Department with a capacity for 12 boxes, two emergency rooms, a Paediatric Emergency Department with six observation beds and an isolation room, two wards with a capacity for, at least, 80 patients, an imaging service with suitable equipment, two operating rooms with six recovery beds, an intensive and intermediate care unit with capacity for 12 patients, including an isolation room, and a delivery ward, including a neonatology unit, with up to nine beds for pregnant women.

The modular hospital will serve as a backup structure, contributing to "increased capacity" during the repair, resizing and functional reorganisation of the current HDES structure.

The investment in this modular structure will exceed 12 million Euros. There will be new procurement procedures to fit out the modular hospital.

This Emergency Department will handle less complex urgent cases. More complex urgent situations and emergencies will be assisted at the HDES Emergency Department located at the CUF Açores Hospital.

The Regional Government recommends contacting the Azores Health Line at 808 246 024, which will direct patients to the appropriate emergency department.

As of Wednesday, September 4, the HDES Paediatric Emergency Department will be operational. The entire modular structure of the hospital is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.