He article, to which Lusa had access on Friday, was written by the president of the Institute if Public Health of the University of Porto (ISPUP), Henrique Barros, and Bernardo Gomes, public health doctor at the Northern Regional Public Health Administration.

The two experts cover aspects of the organisation of public health services in Portugal and its work force.

The study notes that in 2013 around 130 public health doctors were working in northern Portugal and that a further 40 doctors are needed to cover its needs.

Alongside this, “89.5% of these doctors were aged over 50,” which, they said, is “a threat to the workforce, based on the number of retirements.”

Across the country the number of public health doctors “fell 24.4% between 2002 and 2011,” the researchers said, citing another study.

The study “Public Health in Portugal: demography and organisation at the crossroads” was published in “EuroHealth” magazine.