Mónica Seidi met with National Commission for Medical Internship - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Segurança Social

The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, and the Regional Director for Health, Pedro Paes, met this week in Ponta Delgada with the National Commission for Medical Internship.

"We have different realities in the Region. Even on the islands with a hospital, you only have to look at the Ponta Delgada Hospital, a first-line hospital with specific services. Meanwhile, on the islands without hospital we have health units that, for example, have inpatient units. This is not the case in Mainland Portugal," she stressed.

Several topics were discussed at the meeting, such as tender abandonment and the need to maximise the singularities of the Regional Health Service to attract interns, so that they can immediately "look to the Autonomous Region of the Azores as a place for the future."

The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security expressed gratitude to the twenty-four doctors from different regions of the country who gathered in Ponta Delgada to exchange ideas and work together to find solutions for the challenges faced by both medical interns in the Region and all doctors in general.

"Specifically in the Azores, we need a more solid base to prevent specialities from disappearing. We need to act immediately, even though we know these measures will only have a visible impact in six or seven years. Doing nothing is not an option," defended Mónica Seidi.

She added, "This meeting was undoubtedly fruitful as all the entities represented here realised that there are common problems. The exchange of ideas and experiences is really beneficial for everyone in a very practical and effective manner."