During the hearing - which, according to a statement from parliament, to which VerAngola had access, had as its theme the state of the health sector in the country and was carried out "by the deputies of the National Assembly, on the initiative of the 6th Working Committee Specialized (CTE)" –, the holder of the Health portfolio "made a profound approach to the sector she directs, having provided information on the implementation of public health policies, actions to combat major endemic diseases, the challenges of disease prevention neglected, the implementation process of the principle of humanization of health services, the observance of respect for ethics and deontology in the provision of care, among others".
On the occasion, referring to the strategy for improving hospital infrastructure, Sílvia Lutucuta informed "that 1800 new units are needed nationwide, of which 600 in Luanda, mainly in the primary network".
In addition, parliamentarians were also informed about the "subsidy of drugs for patients with chronic non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, so that they have access to drugs at lower prices". Thus, adds the note, the guardianship "legally defined the tax exemption for these drugs, and is now working with the Ministry of Finance to move from the free price regime to controlled prices".
The parliamentarians left recommendations in the sense of having "rigor in the inspection of the health system, with the aim of making it more resilient, effective, efficient and accessible to all".
However, Arlete Borges, coordinator of the 6th CTE, indicated the demographic "explosion" "as one of the main reasons for flooding in hospitals", having reiterated that the capital needs 600 more hospital units aimed at relieving the "existing pressure, giving account of the existing deficit in terms of primary assistance".
"He admitted, however, that there is also a deficit in terms of tertiary care, since there are only three large hospitals, when the ideal would be to have at least nine large hospitals for the expansion of health care", the note also refers.
