Health minister quits over health system crisis // Boosters for over-60s and push to vaccinate kids
Portuguese news in English on Sunday, September 4, 2022.
By the numbers
Health minister quits over health system crisis
Marta Temido, who became nationally renowned and soared in popularity during the pandemic, has resigned on the back of the crisis in the nation’s emergency departments, Público reports. Her middle-of-the-night ouster came days after a 31-weeks-pregnant woman died after suffering a heart attack while being transferred from Santa Maria Hospital to the São Francisco Xavier Hospital, both in Lisbon, due to a lack of neonatal services. Temido said her position had become untenable and Prime Minister António Costa thanked her for her work in the role. Within the governing Socialist Party (PS), the death of the pregnant woman — a tourist according to the BBC, in English — and the lack of support from the PM were the straws that broke the camel's back. A lack of specialists had forced the temporary closure of multiple OB-GYN emergency rooms through summer. Temido’s fall from grace was rapid, having been tipped as a possible successor to Costa or even a presidential candidate as recently as last summer.
Boosters for over-60s and push to vaccinate kids
A new phase in Portugal’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign starts this week with another booster available for older people and a push to protect more children, Público reports. More than 80 vaccination centres are expected to be back in operation from tomorrow for both flu and coronavirus vaccinations. The Directorate-General of Health is pushing hard to boost vaccination rates in those aged 5–11, only 43% of whom have received a jab, compared to rates closer to 100% in most other age groups. Authorities are also pushing those in the 18–24 age group to get a booster as only 54% of them have done so to date. Those aged over 60 are the first to become eligible for the seasonal COVID-19 booster.
Government set to announce cost of living support
The Council of Ministers will meet tomorrow to approve a broad range of measures aimed at helping families handle rapid cost of living increases, Público reports. It’s still unclear exactly what measures will be announced but the package could exceed €2 billion, Diário de Notícias reports. That could include €2 million each for energy intensive companies and €100 cheques for low-income families. A European directive issued in April would allow Portugal, or any other country, to reduce the IVA (VAT) on gas and electricity bills from 23% to as low as 6%, Diário de Notícias reports. Amid all this, the New York Times reports on how the energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine has overturned French opposition to increasing Portugal’s gas links to the rest of the country. A new pipeline across the Pyrenees, vocally backed by Germany, could even help solve the rest of Europe’s energy problems through liquid natural gas shipped into Portugal, the paper reports.
In brief
Lisbon airport arrivals waiting time cut in half. After massive queues at border control earlier in the summer, the average maximum wait time dropped to 47 minutes in August. (Diário de Notícias)
Questions remain over free creche program. The change affects kids born after September 2021 attending social sector creches but information has been slow to arrive. (Diário de Notícias)
Car made in Portugal becomes most sold in Europe Sales of the Volkswagen T-Roc, made only in Palmela’s Volkswagen Autoeuropa factory jumped 15% in July to overtake the Peugeot 208.
Portugal breaks July record for tourist visits. There were 1.8 million guests, up 2.1% from the same month in 2019 and fourth-busiest month ever, behind only August 2018, August 2019 and September 2019.
On a lighter note
No, I don’t have any idea what’s going on here. SIC Notícias reports that Costa was spontaneously invited to dance by this Mozambican artist, and then this happened. I don’t know what the hammer is for, and I don’t know what the dance is called but I do know that the PM seems to be pretty surprised it is happening. He was there on a diplomatic trip to “deepen” ties between the two nations.