Questions Raised by PS/Açores Regarding Hospital Damages
In a request submitted to the Regional Assembly on Tuesday, the Socialist Party (PS/Açores) has raised concerns about the damages sustained at the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo (HDES) following the fire on May 4, 2024. The inquiry, accessed today by the Lusa agency, specifically questions the regional government led by the coalition of PSD/CDS-PP/PPM regarding the areas within the hospital deemed to have suffered total loss or requiring reconstruction.
The party is particularly interested in the impact on the emergency service, operating room, and intensive care unit. They have posed the question: “Based on the technical information available after the fire, how long would it take to make the re-opening of the HDES Emergency Service viable under the conditions that existed on May 3?”
Request for Transparency and Documentation
Additionally, PS/Açores is requesting a “timeline for the reopening of services” and “copies of all technical reports prepared by the HDES Facilities and Equipment Service from May to December 2024.” The opposition party emphasizes the need for the Azorean government to publicly disclose the technical reports from the HDES Infrastructure and Equipment Service post-fire, asserting that this transparency is crucial for understanding the extent of the damages.
Furthermore, the PS/Açores is seeking a “copy of all minutes from HDES board meetings held after December 31, 2020, to the present date, encompassing all decisions and deliberations made during that period.”
Criticism of the Modular Hospital Decision
Former HDES administrator António Vasco Viveiros has openly criticized the Azorean government’s decision to construct a modular hospital. He advocates instead for the recovery of the existing health facility, which is the largest in the Azores. During a parliamentary hearing, he explained, “Given that it was possible to recover the hospital, and we were aware of that, I have always had technical doubts regarding the modular option.” Viveiros previously served as a deputy in the Azorean parliament for the PSD and was appointed to the HDES administration board by the coalition government shortly after the May 4 fire.
Impact of the Fire at HDES
The fire at the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, located in Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island, ignited on May 4 and has caused an estimated 24 million euros in damages. As a result, all patients who were hospitalized had to be transferred to various locations across the Azores, Madeira, and the mainland. In response to this crisis, the Azorean government has opted to construct a modular hospital to facilitate the transition until the structural requalification of HDES can be completed.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the healthcare system in the region and the importance of effective communication and planning in the aftermath of such disasters.
