Azores: Francisco César proposes Integrated and University Health Center

O president of the PS/Azores, Francisco César, today defended, in the presentation of the reapplication to leadership, the creation of an Integrated Center and University of Health and warned that the party must be heard about the future of SATA.

“We understand that it is important to create the Integrated and University Center for Health of the Azores – a multipolar public entity that brings together hospitals in Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroísmo and Horta and island health units in a common regional strategy,” he said.

Francisco César spoke in a hotel unit in Ponta Delgada in presenting the candidacy for the presidency of the PS/Azores, election in which he presents himself as the only candidate.

For the Socialist, the 'progressive integration of health management' in the Azores' would allow 'sharing means and programming investments', also noting that the clinical directions of hospitals and units would maintain 'accommodating decision-making capacity'.

The proposal comes at a time when the possible creation of a central hospital in Ponta Delgada has generated divisions between the institutions of the Terceira and São Miguel islands.

"I refuse to feed rivalries that weaken us all. We are too few to waste the much we can build", he reinforced.

Francisco César stressed the importance of "complementarity" between the three hospitals in the region, arguing that this reform should be "staged" with the involvement of health professionals.

‘A joint administration shall facilitate such cooperation, while linking to the university, clinical education and research will enhance the ability to attract and establish professionals’.

With regard to the recovery of the hospital in Ponta Delgada, the deputy in the Republic also demanded 'clear' on 'implementation of works, operating conditions and, above all, economic and financial sustainability'.

The Socialist, who presides over the PS/Azores since June 2024, reiterated that the party should be heard about the privatizations underway in the SATA group.

“Any decision on the future of the SATA group, including the privatisation of SATA International and the alienation of ‘handling’, must and must be pre-articulated with the PS, with time for effective dialogue, avoiding that tomorrow we will have to reverse decisions made today,” he warned.

The President of the Azorean Socialists proposed the creation of a Business Development Agency and a 'regional agreement to enhance incomes, negotiated with the social partners'.

‘We propose to reduce debts to suppliers and ensure multi-annual contracts to the IPSS [Institutions of Social Solidarity and Misericórdias, Private Institutions of Social Solidarity]’, he added.

Francisco César defended a "humanist sensitivity" to housing policies through the recovery of public heritage, partnerships with municipalities, subsidised funding, faster licensing and incentives for cooperatives.

The Socialist also considered that Culture must have 'the budgetary resources corresponding to its importance' and recalled the measures of the tourism party, such as 'strengthening promotion' and capturing companies.

In Education, the president of the PS/Azores insisted on the creation of a Common Interest Project, provided for in the Regional Finance Act, to “put the Azores among the Portuguese regions with better educational, professional and social indicators” in the “space of a generation”.

"We will reduce the size of the offices, monitor representation and consultancy costs and evaluate public enterprises, aware that it will also be necessary to review expenditure and recover the balance of regional accounts by protecting essential services," he concluded.

The PS/Açores scheduled the regional congress in Angra do Heroísmo for January 15-17.

On November 14, elections for delegates to the Congress and the party's leadership will take place.