DGS autumn-winter plan focused on protecting the most vulnerable and the elderly



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The General Directorate of Health has already presented the Autumn-Winter 2020-21 Health Plan. Marked by the covid-19 pandemic, it will be reviewed every two months and its priority is to preserve human lives and protect the institutionalized elderly.

“In a period that usually constitutes a time with challenges for health systems, it is important to strengthen the lines of intervention in health”, can be read in the presentation note of the document, published this Monday, early in the afternoon.

Read the full plan HERE

“Preserving human lives, protecting the most vulnerable, in particular the elderly population living in Residential Structures for the elderly; and preparing the response to the epidemic growth of COVID-19 are the main objectives of this strategy”, adds DGS.

In times of pandemic, “the plan foresees a strengthening of the public health response, especially in outbreak situations; it adapts the current Areas Dedicated to COVID-19 in the Areas Dedicated to Respiratory Patients and the hospitalization circuits for the different phases of the answer”. .

“With regard to the No-COVID-19 response, a Task Force is created under the Ministry of Health and is committed to the maximized response in primary health care, with face-to-face, non-face-to-face and home care, as well as responses from proximity, including the dispensing of medicines ”, the document also reads.

According to the document, the “working group”, made up of elements from each Regional Health Administration, will be an “important contribution to face the challenges identified for Autumn-Winter, that is, in the care response, leveling the discussion with the structures and measures implemented to respond to the pandemic. “

This structure will define and ensure the execution of a contingency plan for the adaptation of the programmed activity “no covid-19”, according to “clinical, quality and safety criteria, and efficient management, adaptable at the local level”.

Thus, it will define “user selection criteria whose monitoring can be ensured, at least partially, through teleconsultation and telemonitoring”.

The response capacity of primary health care to the “no covid-19” response is maximized through “consecration periods” dedicated to face-to-face and non-face-to-face care.

On the other hand, activities related to the surveillance of chronic patients, cancer screening, eye examinations, maternal and child health programs, vaccination, family planning, oral health, as well as all other activities should continue to be guaranteed. other activities. essential.

The “non-covid-19” hospital response is also essential to guarantee access to quality healthcare and to reduce morbidity and mortality in Portugal “, in the current context” it must be dynamic, flexible and able to adapt quickly depending on the epidemiological evolution at the national, regional and local level “.

For this, “a contingency plan for the hospital response must be created, coordinated at the regional level by the ARS, and that allows the transition, if necessary, of a phase of coexistence of the non-covid-19 and covid-19 response , for “a phase of redistribution of resources and infrastructure to other services or units dedicated to the covid-19 response.”

“The existence of this rapid transition capacity is of special importance in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto”, highlights the document, which will continue to receive contributions from the National Health Council and the Economic and Social Council and which will be reviewed every two months.

The Autumn-Winter 2020-21 Health Plan, which will continue to receive contributions from the National Health Council and the Economic and Social Council, will be reviewed bimonthly, in order to follow the epidemiological evolution and the contributions of the different actors. .



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