Medical tourism on the SNS: Chairman defends greater State supervision
The Chairman of the Order of Doctors, Miguel Guimarães, defended this Friday that it is up to the State to regulate the cases of foreigners who come to Portugal to visit the National Health Service. In an interview with SIC Notícias, he stressed, however, that the National Health Service is an open door.
“Doctors, when they have a patient in front of them, treat the patient. This is our core mission and this is what we have to do – unlike other countries. It has to be the State, through regulation and inspection control, and the competent authorities, to report this cost to the country from that citizen… if the citizen, by chance, cannot pay”, said Miguel Guimarães.
For the chairman, the rules are clear: the SNS is open to anyone who needs help, who needs to be treated or who needs a “more or less urgent” intervention.
“The Portuguese State, through the competent authorities, must have a more effective regulation. Because this regulation is not made by doctors: it can be by the SEF, PJ or other authorities related to what is international cooperation between countries in these matters of solidarity and health”, he defended.
ONE The Judiciary Police is investigating suspected cases of foreign pregnant women who come to Portugal just to have children. The women will originate from countries such as India and Pakistan.
The phenomenon, according to expressis identified by the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) and is investigated by the Judiciary Police: foreign pregnant women, especially from countries such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan traveling to Portugal in the final stretch of pregnancy so that the birth can be aborted at the National Health Service .
The investigation is being carried out by the Judiciary’s National Counterterrorism Unit and has not yet begun.