Radiation Oncology service of Terceira already performed two thousand treatments and helped 150 patients, announces Clélio Meneses

Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Desporto

The Radiation Oncology Service of the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island has already performed about two thousand treatments, supporting 150 patients, as revealed today by the Regional Secretary for Health and Sport, Clélio Meneses.

The government official visited this second Unit in the Azores, marking one year of activity after the reactivation of the process and the implementation of this health service, as was the intention of this Regional Government, bringing to an end the setbacks that have occurred over time.

"This service has opened for the benefit of the people. There was a political commitment and a relation of trust with the entity operating the service [Joaquim Chaves Oncologia] that made its opening possible," said the Secretary for Health in statements to journalists. On the occasion, he noted that most of the opinions contrary to this investment "did not want or did not believe in the implementation of this service on the island of Terceira."

"What we must have is the strong determination to achieve what benefits people," stressed Clélio Meneses.

Considering the approximately 20-minute duration of such a treatment and that a significant number of patients continue to work, the Regional Secretary for Health and Sport highlighted the importance of the Radiation Oncology Service of the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island as a contribution to the success of the treatment itself.

"If this service were not available here, it would have to be carried out elsewhere, which would require air travel. The disease already has its negative impact, so keeping patients in their families and in their social and work environments helps to reduce the already existing constraints," said the government official.

Clélio Meneses revealed that most of the patients, around 90, are from Terceira and the remaining are from other islands of the archipelago, stressing the importance of the complementary response provided in the Region.

"The services provided on the island of Terceira are open to all patients in the Region as a complement to the services available on the island of São Miguel. The goal is to provide a close response with high rates of clinical performance and, therefore, we have all the conditions to mitigate the problem caused by the disease," he said.