On the very day that a nurses’ strike threatened widespread disruption, holidaymaking British PM David Cameron took a nasty case of earache to Monchique’s state-run health centre – and was treated within 20 minutes.
As Algarve health chief Pedro Nunes had assured, services were running as normal – and in Monchique as close to normal as they could considering the illustrious patient who walked through the doors.
According to news reports, Cameron “arrived alone, signed himself in like any normal patient and paid the normal charges”.
The problem, it seems, had been provoked by all the swimming during the PM’s short break, due to end today (Friday) as he returns home to attend London’s VJ day celebrations.
And the diagnosis? Otitis – an ear infection by any other name, for which he was prescribed antibiotics.
With Portuguese press running true to form, no mention was made of the PM’s attire or even footwear.
