On the anniversary of the National Health Service, the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, stated that "it's not just with more resources" that the SNS problems are solved. The official defended that the National Health Service's productivity "needs to increase," not only through increasing professionals, but also through better organization of healthcare.
The president of the Portuguese Medical Association, who was attending the celebrations, responded to the minister's statements asking for more than "beautiful words." The doctors' representative considered the government discourse insufficient without concrete measures to resolve the public health system's failures.
This exchange of positions comes at a time when the SNS faces growing criticism from health professionals and users, who point to access problems, high waiting times, and lack of human and material resources in various health facilities throughout the country.
