The industrial action started at midnight and will last for 24 hours.

Today’s action not only covers the Algarve and the Alentejo, but will also see doctors in the Greater Lisbon Area staying away from hospitals and health centres.

Doctors are demanding a reduction of hours spent at A&E wards from 18 to 12 hours, while reducing the maximum number of patients each doctor has to see from 1,900 to 1,500.