ULS Alto Alentejo cancels scheduled activity not urgent

A Local Health Unit (ULS) Alto Alentejo cancelled the planned non-urgent activity scheduled for Wednesday, after meeting today the extraordinary disaster commission of that entity, due to the worsening state of time.

In a statement sent to the agency Lusa, ULS Alto Alentejo reveals that “set out a set of preventive measures” regarding the operation of its units.

“ Given the expected adverse conditions and seeking to reduce travel that is not essential, it was determined to cancel the scheduled activity not urgent on November 11th, as clinically possible, having already started the notification process of users of this cancellation ", reads in the document.

The ULS Alto Alentejo, composed of the hospitals of Portalegre and Elvas and 16 health centers, distributed among the 15 municipalities that make up the district of Portalegre, adds that it will “ensure the care activity” that, “because of its nature or clinical condition of the users, it cannot be postponed safely”, but “with the necessary adjustments”.

“ In this context, the performance of scheduled oncologic surgeries considered unavoidable will be maintained, and it was decided to anticipate the hospitalization of these users still in the afternoon of November 10 (today), in order to ensure their presence in hospital units and avoid displacements in potentially adverse conditions on the 11th ", add.

The same principle, according to ULS Alto Alentejo, will apply to cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, which will “always be safeguarded” that the postponement may “represent a risk” to the patient.

The situations will be evaluated with the fundamental principle of clinical safety and continuity of care”, reads in the statement.

At the level of the professionals, the physical presence of those whose activity can be suspended or ensured without movement will be “reduced to the strictly necessary”, also seeking to “minimize their exposure” to risk situations.

In Primary Health Care, the ULS Alto Alentejo indicates that it will maintain a “resource response” for acute situations in health centers, “assuring continuity of care” for users who need care that cannot be postponed.

“ Also all planned and not urgent activity will be rescheduled ", add.

The ULS Alto Alentejo “calls for the understanding” of the population for the possible constraints arising from these exceptional measures.

That entity further reinforces that the decisions taken aim to “protect users and professionals, reduce non-essential displacements and ensure the response to priority and unavoidable clinical situations”.

ULS Alto Alentejo also adds that the situation “will continue to be monitored”, and the measures can be “readjusted according to the evolution of the conditions observed”.

Continental Portugal is in a state of alert, between 00:00 and 23:59 Wednesday, due to the foreseeable worsening of the state of time with the arrival of depression Charles, it is expected that Lisbon, Leiria, Setúbal, Beja and Faro will be the most affected regions.

The gravity of the scenario led the government to decide to close non-essential public schools and services in all districts, and the authorities admitted closing bridges and air traffic restrictions.

According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), “the occurrence of heavy rain or shower periods, strong wind, with bursts that can reach 120 km/h and, in case of formation of the phenomenon ‘sting jet’ (air current that quickly descends inside an extratropical depression, accelerating towards the surface), exceed 150 km/h”.