Information released by the regional Algarve Health Board (ARS/Algarve) at the start of this week shows that, between the months of July and September, 4,507 doctor’s appointments were carried out at so-called Tourist Posts, plus nursing care was provided to 8,433 people at medical stations on the Algarve’s beaches.
According to the ARS/Algarve, the most common interventions were treatments for minor injuries, care for insect or spider-fish bites, checking blood pressure, administering injections, and glycaemia tests.
Some 113 people were sent on to other local health centres for further care.
The busiest medical stations were in the Eastern Algarve – Monte Gordo and Manta Rota (Vila Real de Santo António) – followed by Armação de Pêra (Silves) and Armona Island (Olhão).
With regard to health centres, the most sought-after for the specially-created summer ‘tourist appointments’ were in Tavira and Armação de Pêra, followed by Quarteira, Vila Real de Santo António and Altura.
“Aimed essentially at tourists (...) these appointments contributed towards guaranteeing a greater and faster accessibility to health care during summer, avoiding a bigger influx of people to hospital ER units that are sometimes unnecessary”, a statement from the ARS/Algarve said.
‘Tourist Appointments’ were made available from 4 July to 18 September through the extending of normal health centre operating hours and by reinforcing complementary services along the Algarve coast, where the population increases exponentially during peak season.
Medical stations, which are run by the ARS/Algarve in collaboration with the Portuguese Red Cross, were launched as part of the Summer 2016 Plan.