The reorganization of the Oncology service at Hospital Dr. José Maria Grande, in Portalegre, is generating strong protest. A public petition launched on September 3 against the possibility of reducing the consultation hours of oncologist Rui Dinis already has 2423 signatures. The initiative, addressed to the Board of Directors of the Local Health Unit of Alto Alentejo (ULSAALE), defends the maintenance of the capacity to monitor patients and demands transparency and dialogue with the community.
The petitioners warn that a possible reduction in care activity may result in increased waiting times, loss of continuity for patients under follow-up, and risk of non-compliance with the maximum guaranteed response times. They also emphasize that Alto Alentejo is an inland region where many patients already face significant travel distances, so any reduction in local capacity worsens inequalities in access to health.
The human dimension of this protest is evidenced by the fact that Rui Dinis has been working in Portalegre for approximately 16 years, having established close relationships with patients and families. The issue has gone beyond the circle of patients and reached the political sphere, with the Socialist Party at district level expressing concern and different parties bringing the matter to the Assembly of the Republic.
Faced with the protest, ULSAALE rejected the existence of cuts, stating that no reduction in care provision is planned and that measures to strengthen the service are underway, including differentiated human resources and infrastructure improvements. The petition promoters present four main demands: not to reduce consultation hours, to maintain and strengthen response capacity, to guarantee transparency and dialogue with the community, and to obtain a reasoned response from the administration within 30 days.
