Press release
Ponta Delgada
Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Segurança Social
Regarding the opening news segment aired on RTP/Açores newscast on July 24, 2024, the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security would like to clarify the following:
It is false that the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital (HDES) building poses a risk to the safety of workers and patients. We regret the unfounded alarmism with which the news is presented, contrary to the conclusions reached by the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory (LREC).
The LREC has refuted the content of the news report, clearly stating that the building "has a significant reserve of structural capacity."
In the document, which has been public knowledge since it was submitted to the Legislative Assembly of the Azores on July 5, LREC stresses that it "conducted a series of technical inspections and field tests on Block C4 of the HDES building to assess the damage caused by the May 4 fire in terms of structural materials, and draw up the respective report on the structural assessment of the building."
In the report, LREC pointed out that "there was no evidence of deformation of structural elements or degradation of external cladding."
The experts noted that "there was no evidence of cracking or significant deformation of structural elements such as pillars and beams, or signs of deformation of the roof slabs."
LREC also assessed the "structural integrity of the building" and concluded that the "building, as far as the pillars are concerned, still has a significant reserve of structural capacity for the action of gravitational loads."
There was also the observation that "the building presents some construction deficiencies that occurred during construction." For this reason, the observations carried out by LREC will be considered by the Regional Government during the recovery process of HDES.
The Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security announces that extensive work has already been carried out to clean up and remove burnt goods and equipment in the Emergency Department and Operating Rooms. Areas such as the kitchens are now fully operational and are being used to prepare meals for patients in the East Wing.
The areas that have not been recovered are off-limits at this stage.
The Emergency Department cannot be opened to the public at this time, as its opening presupposes Operating Rooms and an Intensive Care Unit, given that patients may require that type of care. As such, there is a need to carry out renovation work in that department, remedying the operational deficiencies already detected before the fire.
The Regional Government reiterates its commitment to total transparency and determination in this process, intending to continue finding solutions to ensure peace of mind for the population and improved access to health care for Azoreans, without unfounded scaremongering.
