At a press conference held in front of Faro Hospital, André Gomes, leader of the Southern Zone Doctors' Union (SMZS-FNAM), announced that the strike includes all healthcare professionals working in the National Health Service (SNS) in the Algarve region.

"What we demand from the government is that it take effective measures to retain professionals here. We need more doctors, more nurses, more operational assistants, and technicians to be able to respond to this situation, and this can only be achieved one way: by valuing careers, salaries, and filling positions in need," he declared.

André Gomes said he doesn't understand the government's policy on this matter, describing it as "incomprehensible" that the Algarve, for example, hasn't been granted the opportunity to fill positions in need, as has happened in the Alentejo region and in areas of Beira Interior and Trás-os-Montes.

"This won't be achieved by attempts at whitewashing, as the government wants to do, with issues like ULS [Local Health Unit], USF [Local Health Unit], C models, PPPs [public-private partnerships], no. That's just a cover-up for users' problems. What patients need are doctors, nurses, operational assistants, and technical assistants," he emphasised.

According to the union leader, overtime in the Algarve "has ceased to be overtime and has become day-to-day work," with professionals overworked and having to exceed the 150-hour limit to ensure patient safety.

"Who can afford the price of housing in the Algarve? Therefore, the government must develop appropriate measures for each region of the country, and that's what's been lacking," he explained, noting that the Algarve's population triples or quadruples in summer.

Alda Pereira, of the Portuguese Nurses' Union (SEP), said that estimates in the Algarve point to a shortage of around 1,500 nurses, acknowledging that "chaos" is rife in the Algarve's healthcare system.

"When we have about a hundred nurses at this ULS who have excused themselves from responsibility in recent weeks, they're already saying that the Algarve is completely exhausted, that nurses and all other professionals are completely exhausted," she argued.

According to the union leader, some candidates are appearing for the open competitions for nursing professionals, but then they can't afford the cost of living, especially housing, to stay in the region.

"I'm coming to live in the Algarve, I'm coming to work for the ULS Algarve. How much does a house cost, how much does a room cost, and how much does a nurse earn? So the problem isn't the number of vacancies, but the lack of conditions," she explained.

The strike, scheduled from midnight to midnight on August 7th, was called by the three unions.