Dear Editor
I read with dismay last week your story “Portimão mayor outraged by hospital director’s report”, as it honestly did smack of self-seeking political posturing – posing, of course, as “real concern”.
I have lived in Portugal for many years and have always been really impressed by the level of care received in hospitals and health centres.
Of course, there are moments when you can feel ignored, or passed over – but as long as you ‘keep pestering’, I have found one always gets attention.
Yes, there are delays and long periods in waiting rooms, but that is nothing new in state hospitals throughout Europe.
The tragic case of the little boy who died recently from a ruptured appendix was, quite simply, a tragedy. If you read the story, it cannot be blamed on Portimão Hospital and, therefore, for a political leader like the Mayor of Portimão to do so, is really rather below the belt.
Instead of protesting and decrying all the time, it might just be better to try and help. Cuts are coming thick and fast, no matter what any of us do.
The past is the past. We can’t keep going on and on about what we want, when the pot has run dry.
But I do think we need to try and make the best of things, and calling for people’s resignations is really not the answer.
Name and address withheld
