The São Gonçalo Hospital in Lagos – owned and managed by private hospital group HPA Saúde – is being turned into a treatment centre for coronavirus patients, the group announced on Wednesday afternoon.
The national health board (DGS) has already been informed of the group’s decision, which it said is fuelled by a desire to help the public sector deal with the outbreak.
“We want to collaborate in this national effort to contain the pandemic and mitigate its effects,” the group said in a statement to the press.
There will be 14 rooms available to isolate patients and four intensive care units.
“Given its location, this hospital will help complement the national health service’s (SNS) response in the Western Algarve, providing a location for suspected cases to be taken to as well as cases identified at other HPA units,” the group said.
Last week, HPA Saúde had already announced a contingency plan which saw the group setting up a series of triage stations at all of its units, as well as several “exterior isolation and containment” structures at the group’s hospitals and some of its clinics.
The group is also working on a plan to start offering telehealth appointments.
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