In this interview, Carlos Ponte, a doctor and President of the Medical Council of the Azores, argues that it is necessary to provide the Regional Health Service with more human resources and points to General and Family Medicine, as well as the specialties of Ophthalmology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Urology, Dermatology, and Internal Medicine as the areas with the most significant shortage of health professionals in the region. According to the gynecologist, “the incentives that have already been made available to attract doctors to the region are still not enough to compensate for the existing shortages, which tend to worsen.” He believes “it is also necessary to dignify the medical career, as well as improve working conditions, facilities and equipment.” For healthcare to meet users’ needs faster, the doctor points to public-private partnerships as a solution.
Correio dos Açores – World Health Day is about to be celebrated at a time when there are still people who can’t access minimum health care. With the experience that comes from your role as a doctor, what general picture can you give of medical advances and countries where access to medicine is scarce?
Carlos Ponte (President of the Medical Council of the Autonomous Region of the Azores) – As a doctor for over 40 years, I can testify to the extremely important advances in medicine, from scientific discoveries that allow earlier diagnosis and faster and more effective treatments, to technological advances that contribute decisively to the health and well-being of populations, justifying the increase in average life expectancy in general.
I would like to highlight the advances in genetics, therapies, new drugs, medical devices, and surgical techniques that have improved patient outcomes and other treatment options.
Advances in telemedicine and digital health have also made healthcare more accessible, especially in less developed countries or regions that lack structures, equipment, and human resources, as is also the case in the Azores.
Despite the development of medicine, access to healthcare unfortunately remains a challenge in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries and deprived regions, due to socio-economic, religious, political, and even geographical conditions.

What can be done, in your opinion, to improve health conditions and increase the quality of life in these countries?
This is a complex issue because it requires a global commitment to health equity and investments in infrastructure, human resources, education, and policies promoting universal access to health care.

And how do you define the Azores Regional Health Service (SRS)?
In my opinion, the SRS has kept pace with the evolution of medicine, lagging behind more developed countries with greater economic and human resources. The fact that we are an outermost region and an archipelago with nine islands is also a limiting factor in the development we want to see in improving the equity and quality of medicine in our area.
Much remains to be done… The Azoreans’ health and quality of life must always be the priority of governments, focusing more on prevention for a more sustainable health system.

What has your experience been like as head of the Portuguese Medical Association in the Azores, considering the challenges in the region’s Regional Health System?

My experience is still in its infancy—I only took office a year ago—but I have to say that it’s a great challenge and a team effort. Everyone contributes their know-how and different experiences on different islands to the development of our project, which aims to promote the quality of medical practice and health policies in the region and humanize them.
I can tell you that, through dialogue and interaction with the different institutions—the Regional Health Secretariat and trade unions, among others—as well as the face-to-face visits we have already begun to health units, we are well on the way to combining and boosting efforts to defend the dignity and safety of patients and health professionals.

Which areas have the greatest shortage of health professionals in the Azores?
I’ll start by saying that there is still a shortage in the specialty of General and Family Medicine, an essential contribution to improving primary health care and its subsequent coordination with the region’s hospitals.
In the hospital units, there are more glaring shortages in the specialties, namely Ophthalmology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Urology, Dermatology, and Internal Medicine, as well as others with a large part of their human resources nearing retirement age.

In your opinion, what measures should be taken in the region to overcome the existing shortcomings?
Firstly, to provide the Regional Health Service with more human resources. The incentives already made available to attract doctors to the region are still not enough to compensate for the existing shortages, which tend to get worse.
We must also dignify the medical career and improve working conditions, facilities, and equipment.

How can the region be made more attractive to doctors?
Among other solutions already described, I would highlight the importance of creating a three- to five-year attachment to the region for all doctors to whom the region provides their training/specialty.

Is there a lack of certain treatment equipment in the region’s public hospitals? Do you think governments should invest more in this area?
Yes, there is a lack of equipment, and many are obsolete and poorly maintained. The responsible bodies need to invest more, taking advantage of all possible resources, including European funding.

What is your opinion on the use of telemedicine? What are its benefits and challenges, especially in an archipelagic region like the Azores?
I consider telemedicine one of the most critical medical advances and important for outermost and archipelagic regions like ours.
It is essential for health equity in the region that more investment is made in this new and valuable tool, which allows remote access to health care, improves the efficiency of health systems, and makes it possible to provide better care to patients, regardless of their geographical location, avoiding many inter-island and mainland trips.

As a doctor and President of the Medical Council of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, what prospects do you have for the future of healthcare in the Azores when it is a sector with high costs and shortcomings that must be overcome?
This Medical Council, together with the Regional Government and the other SRS institutions, is available to contribute to the solutions for the future of Health in the Azores.
With the recent inauguration of the XIV Government, our team in particular and health professionals in general hope that the new Regional Health Plan 2030 will present and implement the solutions and investments needed to meet the demands that are essential to the sector for the sake of the health and quality of life of the Azoreans.

What measures are needed to ensure that health care is quicker for users?
We advocate public-private partnerships and see them as the solution to speeding up healthcare and meeting users’ needs.

What message can you convey on World Health Day to those waiting for treatment in the region and to long-term care patients?
On this World Health Day, I would like to send a message of solidarity to all those waiting for treatment in the region and to patients in long-term care, telling them they are not alone. Despite the difficulties and shortcomings in the Regional Health System, the professionals who work in the Region manage to overcome many of the obstacles with their dedication and resilience, enabling quality healthcare and commitment to the well-being of patients.

Carlota Pimentel is a journalist for Correio dos Açores-Natalino Viveiros, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.