Pedro Nunes, president of the Board of Directors of the Hospitals of the Algarve, and Joao Pedro Moura Reis of the Governing Council of the Regional Health Authority managed both to miss the key debate on the 'State of Health the Western Algarve' where they were destined to be in the spotlight.
Both claim to have let the organisers know beforehand that they would not be attending but no messages were received and the audience was left disappointed and angry.
Pedro Nunes later said he had to go to Lisbon to see his wife who had been taken ill and Reis had 'other diary commitments.' Nunes commented to Sul Informaçao by phone, 'I would have gladly gone to the debate. The work that this administration has done is honest. What has been said are lies, creating a huge mess, with serious economic repercussions for the Algarve."
The allegation that he had avoided the debate on purpose was greeted with a robust response, "I do not run from any debate! Also, on Monday I was at an AMAL meeting discussing health with the council mayors.”
None of the other members of the Board of Directors of the Hospitals of the Algarve attended the debate. This was, according to Nunes, “an individual decision, I can not force anyone to go to these things."
As for the chairman of the regional health authority his press office said that 'Dr. Joao Moura Reis could not attend the event on Wednesday by reasons of agenda,' noting that 'the organisers had been informed on Monday." The organisers said they had confirmation of attendance the day before the debate, and no notice of cancellation.
The debate on Health in the Western Algarve drew a good audience which completely filled the small auditorium of the Teatro Municipal de Portimão and lasted until nearly 1.00a.m. in the morning.
Those attending claimed that the absence of the two key players in the Algarve hospital fiasco caused great offence and was disrespectful.
Despite the absence of the two main guests, the debate looked at the problems that are affecting healthcare in the Algarve, especially in its hospitals, since the creation of the merged Faro-Barlavento hospital unit run by Nunes.
The main criticism was aimed at Dr. Nunes whose management style was described as dictatorial and hardly encouraged collaboration or cooperation.
Many agreed with the 'rationalisation of resources' in the healthcare sector, but that it was necessary to get staff on side before embarking on change.
