The first signatory was Francisco George, a public health specialist and former director-general of Health. The petition is supported by three scientific communities and associations of people suffering from the disease, “in a technical and social consensus that legitimises the urgency of the measure and calls for protection against a disease that can affect one in three people”.

“The support of more than a thousand citizens legitimises the urgency of the measure, especially when 13 European countries have already included this vaccine in their vaccination schedules, while Portugal maintains this prevention as a privilege available only to those who can afford it - currently without any co-payment,” the promoters of the initiative said in a statement.

According to the petitioners, vaccination against the area represents a cost for the user corresponding to around 70 per cent of the social support index.

They point out that in just one year, between July 2023 and June 2024, 62,985 adults were diagnosed with zits and required healthcare as a result of this problem, which is associated with a high impact on quality of life due to the intense pain it causes and can even lead to loss of vision and motor difficulties.

In addition to the impact on health, an episode of herpes zoster also imposes an economic burden on the National Health Service, with an estimated annual cost of up to 10.2 million euros, including direct costs (7.2 million) and indirect costs, such as absenteeism from work, associated with an impact of over 2.4 million euros per year.

The petitioners argue that these costs can be avoided thanks to the vaccine, which has been scientifically proven to be effective for more than 11 years.

“The sustainability of the National Health Service (SNS) requires effective preventative measures to reduce the impact of diseases that jeopardise the autonomy of citizens and overburden the health system,” reads the petition.

It also emphasises that, in Portugal, the average life expectancy at 65 is 19.5 years for women and 17.7 years for men, but less than half of that time is spent in good health, putting the country below the European average.

“This ageing with illness reflects the urgent need for effective preventive strategies,” the petitioners argue.

They also state in the document that “multiple appeals have been made to the government, parliament and the Directorate-General for Health, without any concrete response, with the updating of the PNV being successively postponed, perpetuating an inequality in access to prevention”.