The report, which was presented in Lisbon this week, reviewed the quality of healthcare in Portugal at the request of the Ministry of Health.
It cites as good examples the figures for the number of people in hospital with asthma, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease and diabetes, stressing the fact that Portugal has among the lowest rates in the OECD. It also cites the sharp reduction in mortality from ischemic heart disease since 1990, giving Portugal a prevalence rate that is the fourth lowest among OECD member countries.
However, the report notes that mortality from strokes is higher than the OECD average, and that infections associated with healthcare appear to be more common in Portugal than in other countries, and that the rate of caesarean sections in Portugal is the fifth highest in the OECD.
Despite the sharp drop in health spending since 2008, in the wake of the global financial crisis, Portugal still spends more as a percentage of gross domestic product than most OECD members. Spending per head, however, remain below the average.
On the health system as a whole, the OECD said that Portugal has “an architecture of robust quality that, in contrast to many countries, covers the whole health system”.