https://www.portugalresident.com/doctor ... -of-lying/Doctors, nurses and pharmacists accuse government of lyingThe furore kicked off after Mr Costa told two interviewers on Monday night that “there is no lack of anything (in the way of medical supplies and materials) and nothing to say that there will be”.
He insisted: “In the worst of scenarios, with the capacity that we have, we will never lose control of the situation.” In short, the health service was in no danger whatsoever of collapse.
For a country forced into repressive lockdown – with many self-employed falling through the cracks of State help announced – these were the words people needed to hear.
But, according to those on the frontline, they were lies.
Says Expresso, “apart from saying the prime minister was not telling the truth, they (the presidents of the associations of doctors, nurses and pharmacists) are particularly unhappy because they have to provide care on a daily basis without the necessary protective equipment – the exact equipment that has been constantly promised but never actually gets to the hospitals”.
Health professionals’ anger follows the pledge, early on in this fight, by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa that “no one will be lying to anyone. This is the guarantee of your President of the Republic”.
In parliament, Mr Costa did a sterling job on Tuesday listing all the material purchased, the new health professionals hired and combat measures in place, but – according to Expresso – “reports on the ground do not coincide with the PM’s declaration.
Technicians, nurses and doctors within INEM (the national institute of emergency medicine) are without necessary protective equipment when they go to the assistance of the population. Several teams throughout the country have only received two protective caps and six paper masks, which don’t offer adequate protection against the new coronavirus.
“The situation is so serious that some hospitals are already calling for ambulances to stay put when there are called out to emergencies.
“This is far from being the only shortcoming.
On Monday, the doctors association called on all entities that have protective equipment like masks, visors and gloves – whether they are factories or garages connected to the automobile industry – to give them up to health professionals to cover stock problems that exist in the hospitals.
“The nurses association has also denounced the ‘flagrant’ lack of equipment for personal protection,” says the paper, stressing that on Sunday association president Ana Rita Cavaco described how
nurses were actually using diving masks that they brought into work from their own homes to protect themselves at work
Sai Baba, when asked the question "What is the purpose of physical life?" responded: "To learn not to do it again."