Vitrectomy represents "historic day" for Regional Health Service, says José Manuel Bolieiro
Ponta Delgada
Presidência do Governo Regional
The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, attended today the first vitrectomy procedures carried out in the Regional Health Service (SRS) at the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo (HDES) in Ponta Delgada, a "historic day" for the sector, not only for health professionals but also for patients.
"It is a historic day because a decades-old demand has now been met," said the President of the Government, who was accompanied by the Regional Secretary for Health, Mónica Seidi, the Board of Directors of the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital and Gil Resendes, hEAD of the Ophthalmology Department at that hospital.
"We have brought all this dialogue together. With the support of the Board of Directors, we are empowering the Regional Health Service to better serve our population," continued José Manuel Bolieiro.
He added: "I am proud to say, on behalf of the Government and citizens, that today is a historic day. Patients, particularly ophthalmological patients, can rely on our ability to differentiate."
As of today, the Regional Health Service can now perform vitrectomies, a type of surgery in the ophthalmological segment - the procedure is normally carried out on patients with retinal pathology, which includes diabetic patients, for example.
For decades these patients had to be referred to the Santo António Hospital in Porto, often exceeding two hundred a year. This represented costs for the Regional Health Service that can now be reduced.
From now on, this procedure can be carried out in Ponta Delgada at the Diino Espirito Santo Hospital, thus solving many problems associated with travelling, accompanying persons, absences from work, etc.
Most surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis and under local anaesthetic. If hospitalisation is required, it will always be within a maximum of 24 hours, which may happen in cases where local anaesthesia is administered.
Initially, these surgeries will be carried out by doctors from the Santo António Hospital. However, there are plans to hire a ophthalmologist specialising in this area.
