In an open letter to the President of Angola, the organization Voices of Angola in Europe writes that there have already been "five deaths in less than four months", since "the sick of the medical board in Portugal were abandoned and left in precarious and vulnerable conditions by the Angolan Government".
The association mentions in the letter to João Lourenço that the origin of the deaths is the cancellation of subsidies they received from the State to be in Portugal undergoing health treatments.
"So far there have been five victims of these atrocities, and if they were avoided we could still have our compatriots alive: Martins Kizela, Domingos Martins Sana, Josué Bartolomeu Bumba, Lucia Mbeba, Felix S. Lucas", the document continues.
Following the closure of Angola's medical board in Portugal, in February, dozens of patients returned to Angola, but most chose to stay in Portugal, claiming that they needed to continue receiving treatments that they claim do not exist in their country.
At the time, the Government stated that, before the closing of the medical board, there were 385 citizens in Portugal, including patients and caregivers. mechanism".
In February 27 patients returned, joining the 17 who had already chosen to return, by their own means, because their health situation had been resolved. Forty-seven patients and 20 companions remained, receiving State support, with an expected return by the end of the year.
The other around 100 patients who chose not to return were left on their own and without the support of the State, neither for the payment of the room in the pension where they still live, nor for expenses. They continued, however, to receive medical treatment, under the agreement between Angola and Portugal in the area of health.
Voices of Angola in Europe states that "some patients are in a critical situation, such as kidney and cancer patients, high-risk patients, some with unremoved tracheostomy, and such people are debilitated, without strength and with mobility difficulties, and the abandonment by the Angolan health sector in Portugal, which is responsible for the State of Angola, could lead to more patients dying".
The situation is being monitored by the Association of Angolan Patients in Portugal (ADAP), and its secretary-general, Vitorino Leonardo, told Lusa that the worsening of conditions is harming the already weak state of health of these patients.
"When they lost the support of the Angolan state, the sick had to leave their pensions and went to live with family, friends, shelter centers or even on the street," he said.
He added: "Many are in need of food, are unable to buy some medicines that are not free, and the state of permanent stress does not help at all in these diseases, which are already very complicated, so complicated that in Angola there is no solution for them."
According to Vitorino Leonardo, some patients are already living on the streets and others will be able to do the same, as even the family members who took them in may not be able to do it for much longer.
"It is very difficult to live on the street and even more difficult for those who are sick and suffering from serious illnesses, such as transplant recipients and cancer patients," he added.
Voices of Angola in Europe and ADAP have appealed to various leaders from Angola and Portugal, as well as international organizations, to look at and resolve the situation of these citizens.
Criticizing the lack of answers, they threaten to take the case to international courts, as they consider it a violation of human rights.
