The petition launched by independent municipal deputy at the Municipal Assembly of Covilhã, Magna Lourenço, for the creation of an Oncology Center in Beira Interior, already has more than three thousand signatures out of the 7,500 necessary for it to be discussed and voted on in the Assembly of the Republic. Of the 34,487 signatures collected, 2,950 were through an online petitions platform, 287 directly on the Assembly of the Republic website, and 250 collected in person.
The petition has already exceeded two important thresholds: the one thousand signatures that require publication in the Diary of the Assembly of the Republic and a hearing for the petitioners, and the 25,000 that require debate in the competent parliamentary committee. The next goal is to reach 7,500 signatures, a number that, by law, requires the petition to be debated in Plenary of the Assembly of the Republic.
Magna Lourenço plans to collect more signatures at the Cherovia Festival, which takes place in the Historic Center of Covilhã, and also at the Municipal Market of Covilhã on two Saturdays, one in September and another in October. The deputy also challenges the mayors of Beira Interior to present this petition at the Assembly of the Republic.
As an immediate solution while the Oncology Center is not yet a reality, Magna Lourenço proposes the creation of the Oncology Patient Support Office for Beira Interior (GADOBI), inspired by the "patient navigator" model already successfully used in other countries. This office could be allocated to ULS Cova da Beira or another municipality in the region, and would serve all oncology patients in Beira Interior, without exception. The deputy highlighted that the Portuguese League Against Cancer does brilliant work, but that guaranteeing access to healthcare is the responsibility of the NHS and the municipalities.
