The Government expects to start the construction of the new hospitals Lisboa Oriental, Seixal, Sintra and Alentejo by 2023, as well as to continue the "works necessary for the realisation" of the investment in the Hospital de Setúbal.
"For completion by 2023, the construction of new central or proximity hospitals will begin, namely in Eastern Lisbon, Seixal, Sintra and Alentejo,", says the report of the State Budget proposal for 2022 delivered on Monday at the Assembly of the Republic.
According to the document, next year, the Ministry led by Marta Temido intends to "continue the work necessary for the realisation of several other investments, currently under development", as is the case of the Hospital de São Bernardo do Centro Hospitalar de Setúbal, where recently a group of 87 physicians with functions of directors and service coordinators resigned.
In addition to this, it is planned that the procedures for the rehabilitation of the Póvoa do Varzim/Vila do Conde Hospital Centre, construction of the Radiotherapy Outpatient Center of the Tondela-Viseu Hospital Center, requalification of the new Department for Women and Children of the Local Health Unit of Guarda, construction of the new Maternal-Fetal Department of the Hospital and University Centre of Coimbra and the expansion of the Portuguese Institute of Oncology in Lisbon will all continue next year.
In 2022 "the Health Investment Program (PIAS) will continue, which includes projects for the recovery and improvement of infrastructure and equipment in the health sector", adds the document, which still considers the "priority" investment related to the energy efficiency of NHS buildings, and the consequent impacts on the reduction of energy consumption and corresponding charges.
On Monday night, the Government delivered the proposed State Budget for 2022 (OE22) to the Assembly of the Republic, which forecasts that the Portuguese economy will grow 4.8% in 2021 and 5.5% in 2022.
In the document, the executive estimates that the deficit of national public accounts should be 4.3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021 and fall to 3.2% in 2022, also predicting that the Portuguese unemployment rate will fall to 6.5% next year, "reaching the lowest value since 2003".
Public debt is expected to reach 122.8% of GDP in 2022, compared to an estimate of 126.9% for this year.
The first parliamentary debate process of OE2022 will take place between October 22nd and 27th, the day on which the general vote will be taken. The final global vote is scheduled for November 25, at the Portuguese Parliament in Lisbon.
Finance Minister João Leão presents the budget proposal today, at 9:00 am, at a press conference in Lisbon.
Original article available in Portuguese at http://postal.pt/
