In a press conference at the Ministry of Health, Jamila Madeira stated that the resumption of the operation of health centres, interrupted and altered because of the pandemic, depends on ensuring safety conditions for users and professionals, admitting that there are “points where there are some difficulties ”.

"Many of the facilities have strong constraints" in the creation of separate circuits for patients with covid-19 and others, she pointed out, saying that the Government is trying to find "concrete solutions" together with the regional health administrations.

According to Jornal de Notícias, the means of contact with health centres are not responding to requests and the Association of Family Physicians estimates that there are 15,000 cancer screenings to be done because of the pandemic in the last three months.

For Jamila Madeira, there are "non-generalised cases" of difficulties and the resumption of the "response dynamics of assistance activity, with the [covid-19] constraints" is "more difficult".

“Every effort is being made by the organisations that organise it and by health professionals to accelerate the recovery. It is on the ground to be accelerated as much as possible,” she said.