Data from the Ministry of Health, referring to the period between November 25 and December 4, reveal
that, of the 434,440 consultations carried out on the same day for acute
illness, 48,815 corresponded to situations of acute respiratory infection
(about 7% of the total number of consultations).
Most consultations
were carried out in the North region (184,390), followed by the Lisbon and
Tagus Valley region (118,112), the Center (87,183), the Alentejo (28,811), and
the Algarve (15,944).
“Over the last weekend
alone, between 3 and 4 December, primary health care provided consultations on
the same day to 16,123 users, the equivalent of the total number of emergency
room visits in all hospitals in the country", stated the Ministry of
Health.
In these two days,
4,277 consultations were motivated by acute respiratory infection (26% of the
total).
In the North, in this
period, there were 5,972 consultations, 4,033 in the Centre, 3,280 in Lisbon
and the Tagus Valley, 2,176 in Alentejo, and 662 in the Algarve.
The Ministry of Health
recalls that expanding the response capacity of primary health care to respond
to situations of acute illness is one of the measures provided for in the
“Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Health for the Seasonal Response in Health –
winter 2022-2023”.
Extended hours
Locations with
extended or complementary services can be consulted at www.sns.gov.pt in the area dedicated to the Winter Plan on
the National Health Service (SNS) Portal.
From the north to the
south of the country, there are already 176 health centres operating with
extended opening hours (weekdays) or complementary opening hours (weekends and
holidays), providing a community response in situations of non-emerging acute
illness.
“This adaptation of
capacity at the level of primary health care is intended to respond to the
greater demand of the population in the autumn/winter months and to reduce the
pressure on emergency services, in situations that may have a timely and adequate
follow-up in primary health care”.
Even so, the Ministry of Health recommends prior contact with the SNS 24 for the most appropriate advice and referral to each situation.
We have evolved as a species to adapt to wear for many many hours per day, for many many weeks, months and even years, a cheap, made in china, plastic-covered sheet on our breathing area, which is usually moist, warm and basically a bacteria Petri dish.
Oh wait. WE DID NOT!
By Hart from Lisbon on 08 Dec 2022, 14:30