There is no year in which the health crisis in Portugal is not discussed.
There is a widespread consensus at national level that there is still much to be done in this area. Areas such as primary health care, investment in General and Family Medicine or public collaboration with the private sector need to be addressed urgently, otherwise the survival of the SUS could be put at risk.
Given their greater proximity to their citizens, it is in the municipalities that the problems of our healthcare system are exposed more clearly and that the population’s discontent towards this situation is felt. Therefore, in this context, local authorities cannot be seen merely as a crutch of aid for the Government. They are active actors without whom it is not possible to solve the problems associated with access to healthcare in Portugal.
In its program, the Government recognizes this premise and seeks to advance it in several ways. Of the solutions it presents, the restructuring of the SNS through its reorganization into Local Health Systems made up of public, private and social entities is one of the keys to giving municipalities an active role in solving this problem.
From the beginning, this measure would allow city halls to join forces to promote coordination between primary care services, hospitals and social sector institutions, which would have a direct impact on citizens’ lives.
And more articulation means more efficiency. With this measure it would be possible to guarantee real monitoring of people, that is, to ensure that health plans are personalized and shared between doctors, social workers and associations, ensuring more coherent health care for the most vulnerable sectors of our population; and, simultaneously, specialized emergencies could be created for certain services per parish or municipality.
But taking care of health is not just about healing the present. It is, above all, taking care of the future. Therefore, I consider the focus on prevention to be urgent. The launch of health promotion and disease prevention programs, such as health literacy in schools, on digital platforms and social networks, or the creation of community support networks with the involvement of schools, companies and associations are some of the first steps to be taken.
To take care of the SNS it is necessary to transform it. And municipalities not only have to be involved in this transformation, they have to be at the forefront of this change.
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